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The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College

May 9, 2014

Volume 49 Issue 27

Eight staff members are now jobless s t u c t e g d u B

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employee cuts

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

MHCC President Debbie Derr (right) addresses Jack Schommer, Integrated Media instructor, at her informational budget and coffee session on Tuesday

by Greg Leonov & Katelyn Hilsenbeck

partment; Laurie Linn, executive coordinator of Administrative Services; Pam Polito, recruitment specialist for Human Resources; Maggie Huffman, director of communications for MHCC; Michelle Gregory, director of community engagement for MHCC; Sue Aschim, manager of auxiliary services; and Karen Reynolds, manager of environmental health and safety. Facing the layoffs, Aschim and Reynolds elected to take early retirement instead, Derr’s office reported. Derr told assembled staff on Tuesday, “I really believe we need to address the fact that we’ve lost some folks.” She offered counseling to Mt. Hood employees shaken by the changes. Previously, Derr had mandated a

The Advocate A Mt. Hood board of directors budget meeting on Wednesday addressed the unfortunate news of elimination of 16 employee positions from the MHCC proposed 2014-15 budget, including the layoff of eight current employees. “It was a very, very difficult day,” said Debbie Derr, MHCC president, during an informative budget discussion with staff and students held a day earlier, when the affected workers were notified. Employees laid off were: Norm Woods, client technologies technician, and Jeff Sperley, online learning web CT technician, from the IT de-

Editorial: Our support staff play an integral role Page 2

6 percent campus wide budget reduction, which was predicted to save the college $5 million, she said. However, the school actually saved only $3.3 million. Therefore, she decided to eliminate the 16 positions from of the 2014-15 budget. “I’m hopeful that we won’t have to have any more position eliminations,” said Derr of the budget-cutting work ahead. On the flip side, Derr also announced in an all-staff email sent Monday that the college will hire three more full-time faculty members. On Tuesday, she explained that the school has a labor contract agreement to maintain a 60 percent full-time employee level, and that adding three positions was necessary. She said ad-

Profile of the month:

ministrators have identified which two positions make most sense, and are working to identify a third. Derr said she anticipates a shift from part-time to full-time employees to accommodate the 60 percent requirement. She noted that with a decreasing number of available class sections next year, part-time faculty will not have as much of a teaching load. Derr assured her audience that “My goals have not changed,” and that her focus is on the success of students and creating a financially sound institution. In response, several people attending on Tuesday voiced concern about the thin number of staff in Facilities. One of the vacant positions

eliminated is a custodian position. With more third-party events proposed to be held on campus, Derr said if the school has to, it will hire extra hands (contract out servcies) for the day, in that case. Jennifer DeMent, MHCC chief financial officer, explained that the school is implementing a new “work loading” software. It allows managers to load a blueprint of the school and fill in when they want each physical area cleaned. The software will then calculate how many custodians are needed. In addition, DeMent said the school is looking to create a new custodial management position.

Budget

Continued on page 6

Recognizing deserving students at the recommendation of MHCC staff

Student shuffles photography major, graphic design for ASG by Greg Leonov The Advocate Mt. Hood photography student Sarah Hyndshaw creates graphic art for ASG while also working in the print shop burrowed beneath the Academic Cernter’s 1200 building. She started attending Mt. Hood while still in high school, thinking that she wanted to be a web designer, but eventually changed her mind. “I decided that it wasn’t for me, and then I went for animation – I wanted to be a cartoonist, a children’s book illustrator,” Hyndshaw said. She decided she wanted to pursue a career as an artist, and left to enroll at the Art Institute of Portland. After attending the Art Institute, Hyndshaw changed her mind again and decided to return to MHCC and study photography through its Integrated

Media program. “Photography’s always been very interesting to me. I’m pretty artistic in general,” she said. Hyndshaw said she enjoys the program at Mt. Hood because the teachers are really knowledgeable: “They definitely know the field, because they actually do it, or have done it.” The first-year student has the opportunity to learn aspects of photography she didn’t think were important to the craft. “It definitely is very beneficial,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot since I’ve started — ­ a lot that I’ve never really considered, like lighting and stuff.” Food and people are the focus of Hyndshaw’s photographs. “Food is awesome. It tastes good and is something that everybody enjoys usually, which has a certain beauty to it, and people are just fun in general because they have their own personalities,” she said.

She hopes to eventually have her work displayed in food magazines, which she sees as the evidence of achievement in her passion. “That’ll be like... ‘This is legit, my work is in a magazine, and suddenly special,’ ” she said. Hyndshaw enjoys doing the artwork for ASG. “It’s been really positive, (the student leaders are) all very friendly and they all have a certain kind of personality that is much different from my own. “I make art for them because most of them are artistically challenged, which is perfectly fine,” she said. She began doing graphic art for the ASG in mid-February, after the group’s previous graphic designer had to step down. “Everybody in ASG is very business-oriented. They all want to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, and leaders,” Hyndshaw said. “I don’t really consider myself a leader ,per se, so it’s interesting being around people who are very

much different than me.” She encourages business-oriented students to “pursue your passion and lead the world, ’cause that’s great,” she said. “I’m really inspired by those people.” Working in the print shop, as well as creating graphic art, Hyndshaw has the rare opportunity of being involved in the entire process of creating printed work. “Honestly, it’s kind of a weird sort of thing being in ASG and being here, too, because I will make something up there, and then I will print it down here.” Being involved in every step of the production process, she is very thorough with her work. “I know I could fix it, (know) how to fix it. It kind of makes me want to be even more detail-oriented, because I have such a connection to it — I’m printing it,” she said. “It becomes ‘more.’ ”

Sarah Hyndshaw POTM

Continued on page 3

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Opinion

May 9, 2014

Editorial: Budget cuts eliminate treasured staff Eight Mt. Hood employees, plus another eight unoccupied positions, were cut loose this week as part of budget reductions for the 2014-2015 school year. President Debbie Derr said the layoff decision was made as more “business process than face-to-face,” with the intent to affect students as little as possible by taking aim on non-teachers. However, we at The Advocate are feeling quite the opposite. Among the people let go is Norm Woods, client technologies technician (in our words: IT savior) who has worked very closely with The Advocate. Publishing a newspaper on a weekly basis requires all of our technology to be functioning properly and, if it wasn’t working, we were confident that Norm had the magic touch. He surely saved us on production days, on numerous occasions. And with so many computers to maintain across campus, his void will

be greatly apparent for others, too. The same goes for Sue Aschim, manager of auxiliary services. We’ve had several Thursdays (our most critical day) where our printer was not working, but she came to the rescue. Our school’s support staff is critical. Losing two people who handle such vital technological needs will trickle down to students. If instructors have technology issues, having fewer support staff will delay the time in which the problems can be solved. For example, if your instructor uses an overhead projector and there is suddenly a problem connecting the projector to the computer, he or she may be left improvising for the class period if no one can come to help. As for the other positions cut, it makes sense with the managers and directors, because they get paid more, and do less (so it seems, frequently).

The majority of work in any institution is usually done by the line staff, and not necessarily the managers. However,

Losing two people that handle such vital technological needs will trickle down to students removing the administrative positions will shift significant work down to those employees. This will unfortunately add to their work load, if helping to preserve their own jobs. Derr said her budget plan is to “save the (administrator) salary, do some reassignment and move forward.” Derr and her team have also decided to eliminate a (currently open)

We never want to have any of our MHCC employees lose their jobs, and there are contractual rules that govern faculty headcounts. But, in Derr’s stated focus on raising the bar for students’ experience at Mt. Hood, we believe some faculty members could be eliminated simply based on the lack of quality in their teaching (of course, too many of them typically opt-out of teacher evaluations, so the world may never know). Yes, we would have fewer teachers, but sometimes quality is better than quantity. Bottom line: We are losing incredible employees such as Norm and Aschim. Truly, they are the unsung heroes of Mt. Hood that have come to the aid of many students, and ourselves at The Advocate. Even though the positions eliminated are not instructors, their loss is already present, nonetheless.

custodial position. If we need another custodian, a potential with which Derr did not disagree, then failing to fill this position will be a further detriment to students and to MHCC as a whole. Some bathrooms on campus are already somewhat unclean, even with our current custodial staff. If we have fewer custodians to clean restrooms and other facilites, dirty bathrooms and classrooms will cause students to head for the hills. We need these positions so Mt. Hood can look squeaky clean and allow students to feel comfortable. In the face of such difficult decisions, the avoidance of firing teachers seems noteworthy. While it may be beneficial to the college and students, in some ways, to retain a full lineup, teachers shouldn’t be completely off-limits. Perhaps instead of cutting non-instructors, we could focus more sharply on teaching quality.

Instructors should take advantage of the portal by Emily Wintringham

I can’t count how many times the MyMHCC Portal has saved my tuchas. It’s proved to be my most valuable resource as a college student. When I miss a lecture, or if the instructions on an assignment are unclear, I can always depend on the Portal to help solve my dire dilemma. That is, of course, if the portal is being used by my instructors. In a poll that I recently conducted about the issue, I’ve run into students who say their instructors fail to post useful information, such as student grades and assignments. I’ve also heard that instructors often post way too much frivolous information that litters up the portal. Personally, I’d rather my instructor post everything, rather than leave us students hanging. I strongly suggest

I can’t count how many times the MyMHCC Portal has saved my tuchas that teachers use the portal. In my poll, only 17 of 30 students reported their teachers use the portal. I think it’s for both the instructor’s and their students’ benefit to use such utilitarian technology. As students who work hard on our assignments, we deserve to know what grades we are earning. As for teachers, it could save them

from nagging attacks from students. I assume that teachers lack the extra time to be burdened with repeated individual complaints: “Did you grade my assignment?” “What’s my grade in the class?” “When is the assignment due?” “Is there extra credit?” As college students, it’s our responsibility to pay attention to what is going on. The course syllabus usually addresses those issues. The issue I always run into, however, is that I don’t really grasp the concept or details in the syllabus until it’s too late. The portal is helpful because it works like a calendar. In fact, it works better than a calendar. It isn’t common to have an itinerary of what is going to happen at the beginning of each month. Events often pop up around the corner and you fill them in as you go. Things come up suddenly, and the way the portal organizes assignments, readings, events, and messages from when they most recently occur is very efficient. Every course I’ve taken has had students raise their hands for another copy of a reading or worksheet that the instructor passed out the last class. From what I know, some students cram the papers into their black hole of a backpack. The documents are crumpled to disaster and lost sometime during the week. Then at the next class, students purging their backpacks for the missing handout resort to sheepishly raise their hand at the teacher’s inquiry: “Did anyone not receive a handout from last class?” I know as responsible adults, we shouldn’t lose our papers, but no one can really stop that from happening. This, I’m assuming, also annoys the crap out of instructors. But, by posting handouts on the portal, they can place the responsibility on the student to retrieve the documents and not even ask if a student needs another copy. I understand why some teachers dis-

Graphic by Heather Golan - The Advocate

Instructor

Graphic by Heather Golan - The Advocate

like using the portal. For some, it takes a while to become familiar with. Howard Buck, journalism teacher and adviser to The Advocate, said he’s learned to grasp most of the portal but still has trouble with the gradebook feature. “Aesthetically the portal is not especially pleasing, nor does it work well to communicate with students or allow students to communicate with each other,” said Holly DeGrow, Writing 121 instructor.

“Kristin and Diana are the best choice for our student body. They are passionate individuals and I just saw Diana passing out invitations for the Cinco De Mayo event this coming Wednesday. Kristin and Diana are responsible and they clearly care about the student body.” Online comment from Cassandra on the “Alma Pacheco is the best choice for ASG president” editorial

“For some reason, even if a student has listed a working email address in their personal info, sometimes the portal will ignore it and not send the announcement to that student,” said Stephanie Cram, psychology instructor. I would testify to both Cram and Degrow’s comments. The portal isn’t very convenient to communicate with teachers. I find myself using my personal email in order to contact my teachers.

“On level 500 - it is impossible. Thought if I won some fish by spinning the dial they would get to the bottom layer. Won three sets of fish but the game won’t let you use them on that level. Only lets you use things that don’t really help win the game - DISHONEST!” Online comment from Doctor GW on the “Candy Crush is secretly sinister” column

the Advocate Editor-in-ChiefKatelyn Editor-in-Chief Katelyn Hilsenbeck Hilsenbeck

Living Arts Editor Living Editor RebeccaGaulke Gaulke Rebecca

News Editor Opinion Editor

Katelyn Hilsenbeck Danny Perez-Crouse

News Editor Assistant News Editor Katelyn Hilsenbeck Greg Leonov

SportsEditor Editor Sports

Danny Perez-Crouse

CopyEditor Editor Copy

Video Team Melissa Casey

Reporters Advisers Teela Bergen Howard Buck Madeline Boyce

Dan Ernst

Hayden Hunter

Bob Watkins

Brandon Raleigh

Tyler Cornelison

Edgar Valencia

Carole Riggs Carole Riggs

Jared Lichtenberg

Emily Wintringham

Ad AdManager Manager

Graphic Designer

Photographer

PhotoEditor Editor Photo

Cameron Miller Cameron Miller

There’s no doubt that the portal could use some touching up. With any technology, there are always flaws. However, I’m thankful to all the teachers who take the time to make our lives easier as students. For the reasons I’ve mentioned, the portal does make our lives easier. Therefore, I encourage teachers to use it as much as possible, by posting our grades, handouts, schedules and other useful material necessary for our courses.

Getting it right: On page 4 of the May 2 issue, Keith Dillon got acquainted with the work of “Art Kane,” not “Arcane.” The movie that his poster is for is not “First Love,” but a documentary called “Hyacinth,” which features Max Schwartz, who starred in “First Love.” The Advocate regrets these errors.

Submissions Submissions Opinion Editor

Aaron Marshall Aaron Marshall

Rebecca Gaulke Rebecca Gaulke

Student

Heather Golan

Mindy Clark

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Advisers Howard Buck, Dan Ernst 503-491-7250 Bob Watkins

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu www.advocate-online.net Phone: 503-491-7250

#mhccadvocate www.advocate-online.net Mt. Hood#mhccadvocate Community College

SE Stark Street Mt.26000 Hood Community College Gresham, Oregon 26000 SE Stark97030 Street Gresham, Oregon 97030

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News

May 9, 2014

Slice of life

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POTM

Continued from page 1

Photo student looks forward to evolving goals

Photos by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Shelie Macias Memorial Book Sale was held Wednesday in the Main Mall.

Summer registration starts May 12 at 12:01 a.m. for continuing who earned 46 or more credits Open registration for Summer Term starts May 14 new students and continuing students Schedule of classes for Fall Term of 2014 is now open

An internship for the summer is one of Hyndshaw’s immediate goals. “That’s scary, but it’s just about going and doing it,” she said. She is optimistic about her future, and knows that her objectives might evolve along the way. “It could morph – like everything I do – art, web design, ‘Oh, I want to be a painter. Oh, I want to be a photographer now,’ ” she said. “I know that my skills will definitely just curve. Whatever happens, happens.”

News Briefs Trade or donate clothes for a stronger community As part of the C3 drive (Clothing, Community and Consciousness) sponsored by ASG, the Clothing event will take place from noon to 2:30 p.m. on May 21, in the Main Mall. It’s an opportunity for students to bring in their gently used clothing to donate or trade. Clothing may be donated in a box inside the Student Union, and may possibly go for use by Snow Cap Charities. The event is intended to build a stronger community among students in order to strengthen awareness for women in many other places who are fighting for their rights in education, organizers said. “Hopefully, these events will help our community to gain an appreciation of what we have,” said Diana Ramirez, SAB multicultural coordinator.

- Emily Wintringham

Graduation gowns available to those in need ASG has acquired a record 100 caps and gowns for this year’s graduation, on loan to students who lack the means to purchase them. Caps and gowns will be made available on a first-come, firstserve basis starting Monday, May 19 and continuing through June 12 – or until they run out. Students may come to the ASG office from 3 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to request the gear. The gowns will be fresh and clean this year, as they have been through the cleaners. Gowns are only worn once (per use) and so are cleaned only every few years. Each gown must be returned for re-use, but the caps and tassels are free for students to keep. “This is ASG’s way of appreciating students’ graduation,” said Eduardo Ortiz, ASG vice president. Distribution of the cap and gowns “gives every student the opportunity to celebrate their success,” added Skye Troy, ASG senator of communications.

- Emily Wintringham

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Living Arts

May 9, 2014

Seth Rogen and Zac Efron star in “Neighbors,” a comedy surrounding a married couple and their new neighbors, who happen to be a fraternity. “Neighbors” is open in theaters everywhere today.

Web photos

Review: funny, energetic and unapologetic frat fest by Danny Perez-Crouse The Advocate

HHHII Movie Review “Neighbors” is stupid, loud, insensitive, crude and insatiably rude. But that doesn’t stop the film from being a deliciously filthy intergenerational war, with great performances and plenty of laughs. “Neighbors” centers on a married couple, Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne). While trying to adjust to the tedium of grown-up life, they struggle with a massive fraternity moving in next door. After trying to quell the rowdy students by joining their parties, they call the cops after too many loud nights; they get on bad terms and the fraternity starts tormenting them. Rogen and Byrne have great

chemistry as the couple. Rogen brings his familiar stoner persona and improv skills to the table, and Byrne is able to really roll with the punches. She even outshines her veteran comedic co-star on occasion with an unexpected potty mouth and some solid zingers. Zac Efron plays Teddy, the sociopathic ringleader of the fraternity, and it’s his best performance to date. I know that’s a weak compliment given his shallow track record, but the arrogant swagger and domineering personality of his character are well executed. Also, his comedic timing and delivery are spot-on. Efron is perfectly complemented by the rest of the fraternity, especially the vice president, Pete (Dave Franco). Every scene Teddy and Pete share turns into a hilarious bro-fest where manly love, testosterone and profanity spill out of the screen. Actually, every scene with the fraternity brothers is gold. Their insane hijinks and colorful exchanges garner the biggest laughs. Whether it be selling homemade dildos or having Rob-

ert Di Nero parties, there is never a dull moment with these guys. To appreciate the comedy, you have to have a thick skin and an acquired taste for the raunchy. I mean that in a good way — the film has a refreshingly gleeful and carefree spirit with its use of profanity and shock value. It rarely feels cheap or gross for the sake of being gross (except for a certain breast milking scene). Just

Despite failings of the script, I laughed enough to give this film a recommendation about every dildo, joint and f-word is used for a good slap on the funny bone. The few instances where the film’s comedy drags are when the couple get separated from the rest of the narra-

tive. Byrne and Rogen have a lots of isolated gags filled with excessive improvisation that are a bit too long. Nicholas Stoller is no stranger to directing comedies, having already helmed films like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him To The Greek.” He knows just how to frame each joke and control the pace to give the film a nice bumpy energy. He really gets creative with his shots. There is a fun POV party sequence, plenty of manic angles and an unexpectedly attractive color scheme. The film can be a little too fast paced at times, rushing through story progressions, but it’s not a big deal. The real problem is with the story surrounding the hilarity. There are many times where the film attempts to add layers to the narrative and characters. It’s just that every potentially deep story thread is poorly introduced and quickly dropped. A rather touching bond between Teddy and Mac is teased and then forgotten. The couple begins to question their maturity and relationship, but run back into each other’s arms and

Looking for something to do? Check out our TO BE revamped weekly calendar for some fun DETERMINED ideas!

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St. Johns Bizarre

Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. North Lombard Street & Philadelphia Avenue, Portland Looking for a fun event to take your mom to on Mother’s Day? The St. John’s Bizarre is a celebration to kick off the summer street fair season in Portland. It is held annually on the second Saturday in May, and brings music, crafts and food. For more information, visit stjohnsbizarre.com.

return to their childish ways in the next scene. A jarring change in tone has Peter become a bright student and lecture Teddy on the pointlessness of college partying. This is only a sample of the film’s broken plot points. There are too many characters, themes and ideas being jammed alongside the multitude of jokes for any real development to occur. This doesn’t make the film bad; it just keeps any significant heart or emotional resonance to flourish. The ending is also rather abrupt. There isn’t much closure; it doesn’t feel like anybody learned a lesson and the couple get away with doing some pretty terrible things. Despite failings of the script, I laughed enough to give this film a recommendation. There are pretty consistent chuckles throughout the run-time and a few big hitters that had me cackling. This had the potential to be a great comedy with engaging characters and a touching story. Oh well, we still get a funny, energetic and unapologetic frat fest.

Viral Vid of the Week

Café Tuesday

Storyteller Baba Wagué Diakité

Monday, noon to 2 p.m. Town and Gown Room Baba Wagué Diakité is a multi-talented and engaging storyteller, writer and illustrator from Mali, in West Africa. He will be presenting his storytelling skills live, so feel free to drop in to this free event and hear about his experiences growing up in Africa and the stories of his elders.

Graphic by Heather Golan - The Advocate

Tuesday, seatings available 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Lincoln Station Grill at University Place 310 S.W. Lincoln St., Portland Featuring Asian Fusion cuisine, Café Tuesdays are prepared and served by students in Mt. Hood’s Hospitality and Tourism program. To enjoy a three-course meal for around $10, head downtown for lunch. To make a reservation, call 503-491-7230 or email htrpt@mhcc.edu.

Tiny Hamster Eating a Tiny Pizza In the mood for a laugh? As part of our weekly feature, we will show you one awesome video and tell you why you should watch it. Have you been enjoying the trend of watching those furry hamsters eating tiny meals? Check out this one having a picnic eating a tiny pizza. The video has classical background music that gives it a cartoonish feel, which is appropriate because our furry friend is very animated. If you love tiny furry creatures and their adorable antics, you are definitely going to enjoy this video.

May 9, 2014

Living Arts

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Meteor shower to take place on May 23 Couldn’t make it to this month’s planetarium show? Here’s what you missed on Tuesday

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Mt. Hood’s digital projection system captures the night sky, as seen during the March Planetarium show.

by Hayden Hunter The Advocate Tuesday’s Planetarium show, titled “Unstable Stars,” advised viewers on the meteor shower expected to happen May 23-24 from roughly 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., and the explosions of stars throughout the galaxies. According to Pat Hanrahan, Planetarium director, we should be able to find the meteor shower in the night sky originating just next to the handle of the Little Dipper, close to the North Star. The shower is expected to begin late Friday, May 23, at 10:40 p.m. and continue until 1:40 a.m. Saturday. “As always, you will be able to see it more clearly outside the city limits, but I would suggest looking up if you find yourself still in the city,” said Hanrahan. Like usual, the Planetarium show started off with a slideshow, this one

explaining in detail “Unstable Stars.” As he began, Hanrahan warned viewers that there was “going to be a lot of doom and gloom in tonight’s show.” He lived up to his word with topics ranging from Red Giants, stars that are about to go supernova and explode any moment, to variable stars that emit different levels of light, essentially killing the Earth’s ozone. Betelgeuse, the top left star of the constellation Orion, and Eta Carinae, a southern sky star, are Red Giants that could go supernova any day. Hanrahan said, “They could explode tonight, or it might take a million years. We don’t know.” Still, Hanrahan said stars that explode are fairly rare, only occurring a couple times a century in any particular galaxy. Betelgeuse is currently the top candidate for an explosion, followed by Eta Carinae. The last star to explode in our galaxy, the Milky Way, that was visible on

Earth, did so in 1603. In 1910, however, astronomers missed a supernova that occurred in the Sagittarius constellation, due to not being able to see it through the gas and dust produced by the Milky Way. On Jan. 22 of this year, a supernova occurred in the M-82 galaxy and its remnants are still visible to this day, but diminishing. Besides Red Giants, another type of unstable star are the variable stars that give off different emissions of light. These may look cool, Hanrahan said, but some are potentially dangerous to Earth’s ionosphere. Hanrahan said that in Sagittarius, there is a star spinning around emitting dangerous waves that could be depleting our ionosphere of its ozone layer. On July 23, 2012, a coronal mass ejection (CME), or a plasma eruption, originated from our own star, the sun. NASA believes that this eruption could

have potentially wiped out technology on Earth. The eruption blew through Earth’s orbital track, but luckily Earth wasn’t there at the time. The STEREO A spacecraft, one of two probes launched by NASA to orbit the sun — one in front of the Earth’s orbit, another following behind Earth’s orbit — wasn’t so lucky. From the readings, scientists believe that if this CME were to have hit Earth, we would still be trying to clean up the damage done to our electronic technology. Scientists believe the January episode could have been stronger than the so-called Carrington event, a solar storm in 1859 that caused telegraph lines to spark, setting fire to some telegraph offices and eventually disabling “the Victorian internet,” Hanrahan said. After the slide show, Hanrahan carried the audience on an expedition across multiple galaxies, look-

ing at different types of unstable stars. Thanks to the updated Planetarium projection system, exploring the different types of stars gave the audience mesmerizing, real-time images of such wonders as the Crescent and Veil Nebulas, and also the Crab Nebula’s neutron star, created when part of a supernova exploded inward, creating a gaseous mass. A dismayed “awww” erupted from the children in the audience as Hanrahan brought the expedition to a halt. He subdued the kids’ protests by wrapping up his show with the colorful “Galaxy Song” sequence, as usual. The MHCC Planetarium shows take place on the first Tuesday of every month. The cost is $2 for the general public, but students and staff get in free. Show times are at 6:00, 7:15 and 8:30 p.m. The next show, on June 3, is titled “Saturn and the Summer Sky.”

June’s Planetarium show will be the final one of the school year and is titled “Saturn and the Summer Sky”

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News

May 9, 2014

Students enjoy MHCC’s Cinco de Mayo festival

Students work on arts and crafts during Mt. Hood’s annual Cinco de Mayo festival. Photos by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

WorkSource can help you find the next step Whether you need a job or to go back to school, MHCC employees can help by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate MHCC employees work hand-inhand with Oregon state workers at WorkSource East to provide job search and scholarship help, skills classes and job placement aid, helping clients to ‘be their dream.’ Located in west Gresham on Southeast Stark Street, the building is divided into three teams — Welcome, Skills and Employment — with MHCC staff comprising the skills team. When guests visit the WorkSource center, they are greeted by the front desk and directed through the Welcome process. This process entails filling out registration forms and creating a profile on iMatch, a job matching website, before meeting with a Welcome team

member. Job seekers learn about the different services offered at the center, and this helps decide which path they should follow. The center offers workshops for computer skills, math, training and scholarships. These workshops comprise the Skills path. If someone is ready to start searching for employment immediately, they can attend workshops on such topics as resumés and interviewing. There also are computer labs in which to work, staffed with employees ready to help. The center also provides ESL and ELL classes that make use of Rosetta Stone. Throughout the process, the Skills team is there. “We do coaching and counseling

and one-on-one services on their pathways,” said Sheila McQueen, workforce specialist and an MHCC employee. “I am a huge job coach. I spend a lot of time doing resumé reviews.” Anne Sweet, another Mt. Hood workforce specialist, said, “One of the things I do best is to help people think about how good they are, what they really know how to do” and how to articulate it. Once students are working with the Skills team, they have opportunities to participate in programs such as “On the Job Training” that pays participants 50 percent of wages with grant money during an initial 30 to- 90-day training period. “It’s an incentive to get employers to open their eyes to people who may have most of the skills, but not all of the skills” they are seeking, said McQueen. Each department in the building works with all the others, whether or not they consist of MHCC employees. “It’s a seamless process. No one has to know who does what, we just work together,” said McQueen. Sweet described the Skills team as a great referral resource for the college.

Budget

Continued from page 1

MHCC staff faces layoffs and restructuring in order to keep college functional the work done. Her administration will rearrange and restructure employees as needed, in order to continue functioning. She also anticipates hiring a new marketing consultant and, eventually, a director of marketing, and placing a No. 1 priority on marketing. The Mt. Hood board did take formal action on Wednesday: It approved an updated student fee schedule for 201415, replacing an earlier, incomplete version . Julie Godat, Mt. Hood Bookstore manager, Jonathan Esterman, the store’s lead sales associate, and Genta Guitron, the Bookstore’s merchandise buyer/customer service coordinator, presented a response to declining book sales. They embrace the idea of selling access codes to digital copies of textbooks and will most likely partner with organizations like Amazon to make books more accessible and affordable to students. The Bookstore has been dili-

gently using social media to stay connected with students, and to market the Bookstore more effectively. Mt. Hood’s Business Intelligence Architect, Sergey Shepelov, gave a presentation on the enrollment of Mt. Hood showing that 9 percent of local high school graduates are enrolling at Mt. Hood, while the state average is 10 percent. Derr said the budget process will begin Fall Term for the following year. She expressed worry about the $15 million in funding by the state that is not guaranteed. The MHCC District Board, which is the same group as the budget committee, will convene Wednesday and potentially approve the 2014-15 budget. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. following a workshop on board policy and dinner in the President’s office at 5 p.m. They will also vote on a proposed tax levy of 0.4917 per $1,000 assessed.

Being a CASE student means that you have access to more individualized attention, Lebow said. She helps connect students with internships, assists in job searches, resumé help and more. “Sometimes I help folks figure out what they want to do when they grow up,” she said. Lebow called her work rewarding and said the best feeling is “being this little part of helping a student get to their goal, helping them when they don’t think it’s possible initially.” The benefits students receive trickle down to their families, too, she said. Lebow also acts as a liaison to get students from MHCC to WorkSource, and people from WorkSource to MHCC. CASE students are MHCC students working on a degree or certificate (ideally graduating within the next year) who want to be in touch at least once a term. To begin an application process for becoming a CASE student, interested persons should contact Lebow at 503-491-7005. The WorkSource East center is open to the public 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 19421 S.E. Stark St. in Gresham.

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DeMent said those steps, along with potentially bringing back a graveyard shift for custodians, should increase efficiency by July, the start of the new budget year. Cathy Nichols, Classified Employee Association president, expressed concern over shift in responsibilities resulting from elimination of important director positions. Derr responded that ongoing success will require that managers work closely with their employees and that adjustments be made on an ndividual basis. The eight vacant positions eliminated from the proposed 2014-15 budget were custodian, financial aid specialist, multimedia specialist, student services specialist, veterans coordinator, administrative assistant to the executive dean, executive dean of academic services, and library director. Derr emphasized that even though these positions are eliminated, that does not mean the school does not need

McQueen said, “We see, on an average, probably anywhere from two to five people a day who need (their) GED, who we send to the campus.” Apart from those seeking a GED, Sweet said many visitors need extra training in order to secure a job. Those who visit the Skills team may see what Sweet describes the center as; she describes the Skills team as full of “loving, caring, thoughtful people” who are ready to assist people. She said her coworkers are one of the best features of the job she has held for over two decades: “I get to listen to them and watch them work with customers and it just fills my heart with delight to know that there are people who care about what they do and who they work with. “(It’s) some really hard work and we hear some really hard stories,” she said. Wendy Lebow is a workforce development specialist who shuttles between the MHCC Gresham campus and WorkSource East. She is “a full-time career coach for the CASE (Credentials, acceleration and support for employment) Grant” program.

Sports

May 9, 2014

- Softball -

Saints host Clackamas for regular season finale by Aaron Marshall

7

‘Blazermania’ taking over

The Advocate This Sunday will bring the last regular-season softball matchup for Mt. Hood, a double-header between the top-ranked Saints (34-2, 16-2) and rival Clackamas Community College, expected to produce the season’s biggest showdown. The games were rescheduled from Friday due to predicted poor weather. Next to Mt. Hood, Clackamas (344, 15-3) has been the most dominate and consistent team this season in the NWAACC. The two teams played twice at Clackamas on April 28 and traded hard-fought victories (a 5-4 win for the Saints, followed by a 5-2 loss). A win in either game today will clinch the South Region title for the Saints. “One of our main goals was to earn a spot in the NWAACC tournament and we accomplished that,” said Saints head coach Meadow McWhorter, downplaying the rivalry a bit. “This weekend is all about finishing strong, getting better, having fun and playing for the nine young women who are playing their last games on our home field.” Sunday will be Sophomore Day, as sophomores Teauna Hughes, Ann-Marie Guischer, Kristen Crawford, Emma Bird, Bianca Hancock, Laura Lesowske, Nicole Kellams, Morgan Entze and Jordyn Anderson play the last home games of their Mt. Hood careers. “Sophomore Day is going to be bittersweet. It’s great because i’m ready to go to a four-year (school) and really focus on my major and my next goals in life,” said Bird. “ Leaving coach (McWhorter) and the team is going to be the hardest part.” The Saints have had an exceptional group of sophomores, especially with their star shortstop, Hughes, and star pitching duo, Guischer and Crawford. In 35 games played this season, Hughes has a .509 batting average, along with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs. She’s been walked more times than anyone on the team, a total of 17 times. Last season, she finished with a teamleading .466 batting average, 21 home runs and 60 RBIs and was awarded MVP of the South Region. “Playing for Mt. Hood has been a

by Brandon Raleigh

MHCC celebrates after a convincing defeat over Clark College last Saturday at home. great opportunity. I have learned so much about the game and also myself,” said Hughes. “ Mt. Hood was the perfect fit for me in every way. I couldn’t have accomplished this much if it wasn’t for my coaches and teammates here at Mt. Hood.” At 14-1 in the current season with a 2.29 ERA, Guischer has been one of the most consistent pitchers in the NWAACC. Last season, she was named the South Region pitcher of the year, with a 12-5 record and 1.45 ERA. “I wouldn’t have asked for anything else these past couple years, the people I’ve met, the memories I’ve made. They’re definitely moments that I will never forget,” said Guischer. After producing a 15-2 record and 2.17 ERA last year and being selected to South Region First-Team, Crawford has even better numbers in 2014. At 17-1 on the season, her 17 wins lead the NWAACC, and she is second with a 1.51 ERA. Mt. Hood and Clackamas will most certainly be teams to watch come NWAACC time but the Mother’s Day games are big, the players say. “I’m excited to play Clackamas for our sophomore game,” said Hughes. “They are definitely one of our biggest competitors and it’s fun to see our team rise up to the occasion,” said Bird. On Tuesday, Mt. Hood was shocked by (22-18, 7-11) Chemeketa Community College as the Storm shut out the Saints, 5-0, in Game One of the double-header in Salem. That hadn’t been done all season.

“We couldn’t seem to find the holes, we hit right to people. On the field, we had some struggles. I don’t think our team overlooked the Storm, we just didn’t leave it all on the field this game and we learned from it,” said McWhorter. Crawford suffered her first loss of the season, giving up five hits and three runs in three innings pitched before being replaced by Guischer. Mt. Hood’s offense struggled with just four hits, compared to Chemeketa’s, with seven hits. Freshmen SheaLee Lindsey, Mercedes Green and Entze and Hancock were the only Saints to record a hit. In Game Two, the Saints came back for vengeance, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning on a grand slam and finishing with the win, 6-2. Guischer picked up the victory, pitching a complete game over seven innings. Freshman Kasidee Lemberger had four hits in four at-bats, including a double and a home run, to support Enzte’s first-inning slam. The Saints dodged a bullet in the division standings when Clackamas also dropped one of their games Wednesday, losing to Lower Columbia, 6-5. That leaves Mt. Hood still in first, with a one-game lead. Last Saturday, the Saints battled struggling Clark College (7-26, 1-17 South Region) and took two convincing wins from the Penguins. The last time Mt. Hood faced the Penguins, in Vancouver, they thrashed them, 17-0 and 9-1.

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Game One of the home-field match-up was closer than expected, but Mt. Hood came out on top, 4-1. Both teams scored once in the first inning and then the Saints scored three runs in the bottom of the third. Hughes and Lindsey both had multiple hits, with three and two, respectively and Hughes, Entze, Green and freshman Chelsea Spanier all had one RBI apeice. In Game Two, Mt. Hood had one of its best games of the season, annihilating Clark 22-0. Mt. Hood finished with 25 hits compared to the Penguins’ 10, in a game called in the fifth inning, due to the mercy rule. The Saints dominated early, scoring 11 runs in the first and nine in the second, plus one more in the third and fourth innings. Guischer was credited with the win, pitching only one inning before sophomore Nicole Kellams came in to close out the game. Spanier had a remarkable game, going five-for-five at the plate, including hitting a home run. Hancock and sophomore Laura Lesowske both hit a home run, and freshman Ashlee Mueller homered twice, once in the first inning and once in the second. Next up for Mt. Hood will be the NWAACC championship tournament, at Delta Park in north Portland, which begins May 16 and runs through May 19 when the championship game is played. With the league’s best record, the Saints have already clinched a berth and depending on Sunday’s results, would be the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, just like last season.

- Track and Field -

Saints gear up for South Region championships by Edgar Valencia The Advocate The Saints track and field teams took part in the Pacific Twilight meet last weekend, which proved for many competitors a good, last tune-up ahead of the NWAACC Southern Region Championships on Saturday. Mt. Hood will host the event at its own Earl Klapstein Stadium, starting at 10:30 a.m. “The meet went very well for our distance athletes with several dropping times which helped (them) improve in the NWAACC rankings as several teams were trying to get better times,” said head coach Doug Bowman. Sophomore McKenzie Warren threw for first in the hammer (50.39

meters) and improved her distance from her last meet. She did not compete in the shotput or discus events as she decided to give her elbow some rest for the championships, where she knows she will have to be at her best. “I was satisfied with how I did in the hammer and I am excited for tomorrow because some of my biggest competition is coming to the meet, some that I haven’t seen at all this year,” she said. Recently named NWAACC athlete of the week, sophomore Caitlyn Safley ran for fourth in the 200-meter sprint with a time of 26.08 seconds. Sophomore Whitney Warren finished 18th (at 27.79). Two Saints made the top ten in the high jump, as freshman Xayna Robinson took fifth place (1.55 meters) and

Photo contributed by Matt Hart

Sophomore Caitlyn Safley running in the 200-meter dash at the Cougar Open on April 19. Safley ended up winning the race and won the 400-meter dash.

sophomore Carrie Haguewood followed in sixth (1.50 meters). Robinson also placed 10th in the long jump (4.71 meters) while sophomore Kristi Kachel jumped for 12th place (4.68 meters) and freshman Rachael Woodcock earned the 16th position (4.47 meters). A couple of freshman Saints had notable performances, as Shanice Lakes finished sixth in the 400-meter dash (1:01.06) and Katerina Lucero placed seventh in the 3000-meter steeplechase (13.44.98). “Our women’s team is doing very well and (we) are very confident going into the Southern Championships,” said Bowman. The men’s team had another solid meet as many athletes finished in good positions, improving their overall ranking. In the discus, sophomore Cody Quinton placed fourth (45.07 meters), while freshman Tyler Jackson came in fifth (42.92 meters). Freshman Zach Kilgore threw for fourth place in the shotput with 13.50 meters while Jackson finished in the 10th position with 12.47 meters. It was another good afternoon for sophomore Justin Schlaht, who came in second in the javelin throw with 57.29 meters, three more meters than in his last meet. Freshman Josh Visan threw for 11th place, with 50.62 meters. Three Saints finished in decent positions in the 1500-meter run as freshman Brandon Raleigh finished in sixth place (4.01.42), while sophomore Cody

Beierle came in eighth (4.04.84) and sophomore Nathan Geiter finished in the 14th position (4.14.55). Coming off a good performance in the Mt. Hood Track & Field Festival, freshman Devon Larson placed fourth place in the 110-meter hurdles (15.82) and finished 14th in the 100-meter dash (11.92). Those results disappointed him, and he pledged to do better in the next two weeks. “I was very unhappy and could have competed better and I will definitely bounce back,” he said. “I need to stay healthy, positive and just need to put together everything I was taught and hopefully I will have huge personal records.” The NWAACC Championship meet is in Spokane, Wash., on May 19-21. First for the Saints is hosting the Southern Region meet, though. “We are working on final techniques and the team is really focused on this meet,” said Bowman. “We do not have a lot of depth. However, what we have are some great, committed athletes focused on winning.” Being at home for the championships means a lot to the athletes as they prepare for their toughest battle of the season. “We have a huge advantage being at home for this meet,” said Warren, who will have a big part in the Southern championships. “It’s going to be great and I can feel it. When we are at home, we have more energy and everything feels right.”

Last Friday marked the biggest moment in recent Blazers’ history. I remember my heart sinking as I sat in a jam-packed Buffalo Wild Wings. Houston’s Chandler Parsons had just hit a go-ahead layup with less than a second remaining in the game. I’ll never forget what happened next. As described on Blazers radio: “0.9 (seconds) remaining. 98-96 Houston. How about a three-pointer to win it and end all suspense? Batum to inbound far side… Not sure if there’s time for him to get it back. They put Jones on Batum and Howard is defending Aldridge. So, in case Portland goes for two, their best player Howard is defending. Batum throws to Lillard. A three for the game. BANNNNNNNGGGGGG!!!!” The moment Damian Lillard hit the game-winner, every person in BWW rose to their feet, cheering hysterically. After a mini-heart attack, I realized just how important the shot was: It advanced Portland to its first Western Conference semifinal in fourteen years. I think I speak for all the Trail Blazers fans in saying that these last 14 years have not been easy. In the span of that time, I’ve seen Portland lose in the first round each of their six playoff appearances. I’ve seen the Blazers careers of franchise players (Brandon Roy and Greg Oden) end prematurely due to bad knees. With all the adversity Portland has faced over the years, the team has stayed resilient. The Blazers have rebuilt in recent year, acquiring Robin Lopez and Mo Williams through free agency, as well as Lillard through the draft. These acquisitions have meshed well with veterans LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews. Together, the team surged to a record of 54-28 during the regular season, good enough for a fifth-place finish in the West and a first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets. Portland started off the best-ofseven Houston series masterfully, behind two big performances from Aldridge. The Blazer brought a 2-0 lead back home to Portland. Both teams grinded out Game Three, a game that went into overtime. In overtime, Houston point guard Jeremy Lin passed to a wide-open Troy Daniels for a go-ahead threepointer with 19 seconds remaining. This broken play propelled Houston to a 121-116 victory. Game Four started out slow for the Blazers, who fell behind by 10 going into half time. They clawed their way back, to lead 102-97 with less than three minutes to play in regulation. The Rockets found a way to force overtime, but the Blazers played well in OT, winning 123-120. The Blazers traveled to Houston with a 3-1 series lead. In Game Five, Portland played behind for most of the game, losing 108-98. Now, the San Antonio Spurs are the team standing in Portland’s way of the Western Conference finals. Portland will need big performances from Aldridge and Lillard to advance, shaking off a terrible Game One on Tuesday (Thursday’s game came after press time for The Advocate). I see the Blazers winning in seven games, needing a road win in order to advance.

8

Sports

May 9, 2014

Competitive drive brings out ‘Seattle’s’ best

Freshman Devon Larson uses young trials as future motivation

Photos by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Devon “Seattle” Larson is making his name known across the NWAACCs as a freshman.

by Aaron Marshall The Advocate If you don’t already know who Mt. Hood freshman track and field athlete Devon “Seattle” Larson is, you will soon enough. In his first season with the Saints, Larson has made his impact with his impressive performance this season on the running track. With a PR (personal record) time of 15.62 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles, achieved April 11 during the John Knight Twilight Meet at Western Oregon University, the 19-year-old from Seattle, Wash., is one of the top freshmen in the NWAACC for the event. Through Thursday, Larson’s PR is sixth best in the NWAACC, third among freshmen and fourth best, overall, in the South Region. “Not too many people want to do hurdles. A hurdler has to be gutsy and fearless because you have to sprint and there’s an object in your way,” said Larson. Larson has also competed in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints, the 400-meter high hurdles, the long jump and the 4 x 100-meter relay with fellow freshmen Brock Otis, Colum Cusick and Janaree Porter. But, the 110-meter high hurdles and 4 x 100-meter relay are his main events. His path to MHCC started when he first emailed former head coach and current assistant coach Matt Hart while still in high school, and from there it was all positive. “Me and Hart clicked right away. He’s a Jedi master and I’m his apprentice,” said Larson. “He’s teaching me and coaching me up to be as good as

him or even better. He’s my guy — I can ask him anything. He’s been a positive role model since I came to Mt. Hood.” Hart says that Larson has made a habit of getting advice, any time he can. “Devon has taken advantage of my open-door policy, as we have had numerous discussions about anything that is on his mind at the time,” said Hart. “He is a highly talented young man and is still working hard on trying to find more effective ways to succeed. I am honored that some of our men and women confide in me with so much trust. Devon is one of those who seek advice or counsel from me.” Larson said he has enjoyed the Saints program and his teammates and coaches. “Overall, the team is supportive (both men’s and women’s squads). The coaches push you to be the best you can be,” he said. Larson is focused on getting his two-year transfer degree. He is still undecided on a career, although he is interested in the medical field and perhaps physical therapy, because he loves sports and likes helping people. This spring, he is registered for 12 credits and said his favorite class is sociology. “I’m learning to look at the world as a whole and not just individually,” he said. He enjoys the MHCC campus, saying “There’s good scenery and we just got a new track, so that’s always good.” When he’s not grinding it out on the rubber-asphalt oval, Larson said he likes playing video games with friends, especially NBA 2K14 on the PS4. He also enjoys drawing and doing journal work,

self-reflecting. Anyone who knows Larson knows about his nickname “Seattle,” and how it started back in high school while he lived in California. “People would say I dress like I’m from Seattle and one time when I had a birthday party, some friends took my

He is a highly talented young man and is still working hard on trying to find more effective ways to succeed Matt Hart Assistant Coach phone and changed my Facebook name to Seattle,” he said. Ever since, he has kept the name. In fact, he is originally from Seattle and moved to California in the eighth grade. Then, after his sophomore year of high school, he moved back to Washington and graduated from Auburn Riverside High School last year. Larson admitted at the beginning of this season his goal was just to make it to the season-ending NWAACC championship tournament – “the NWAACCs” – but because of how well he’s performed this season, he now says he’ll be devastated if he doesn’t make the top eight in the 110-meter

high hurdles at the NWAACCs, come May 19-20 in Spokane, Wash. Larson’s selfless passion goes towards putting it all out there for Mt. Hood. “I compete for my team, it’s my goal to preform well. I love Coach Hart to death, so I want to perform well for him, too,” he said. Before his meets, Larson likes to listen to RnB slow jam music. “ It helps relax me and calms me down,” he said. Larson grew up in a family with two sisters and one brother and said he’s close to them, especially with the younger siblings. “I have a great relationship with my youngest sister (10 years old), and my youngest brother (10 years old), he misses me the most. He loves coming to my meets and cries when he has to leave,” he said. Times were tougher for Larson when he was younger, starting around the age of 10 when his father got into criminal trouble. “My dad got in trouble with the law. It made me upset that other people got to see both their mom and dad, and I didn’t,” said Larson. Their relationship now is good, even though his father is still locked up. “He calls me two to three times a week, he writes me and I send him pictures to let him know how I’m doing and what I look like,” said Larson. “Because I didn’t have my dad, it helped me come to the reality that I can’t go to jail like him and I can’t be like him, so (it is) kind of like an example of what not to do. ‘It helped me stay focused more not having my dad around.”

With his mom practically raising him and his siblings as a single mother, Larson says she is his everything. “Without my mom I don’t know what I would do. She played both parent roles,” he said. Larson said the tough circumstances made him work harder. “I knew I had to try harder and get good grades,” he said. His ultimate goal is to provide for his family. “My dream is to make it to a fouryear college and get a good enough job that my mom and siblings don’t ever have to worry about money ever again,” he said. Larson said that Hart has been a strong mentor at Mt. Hood. “He tells me what I need to do, he doesn’t sugar coat at all,” he said. “Sometimes we butt heads because he’s hard on me, but he has been a father figure for me in my life.” This off-season, Larson says he plans on hitting the weight room to build more strength. “This year I slacked off. I need to hit the weights harder and train more on sprints; my body needs to get stronger, especially with endurance,” he said. On Saturday, Larson will compete in the South Region championships, which will be held here at Mt. Hood’s own Earl Klapstein Stadium. The men’s 4 x 100-meter relay begins at 1 p.m., and the men’s 110-meter high hurdles event starts at 1:50 p.m. “I just want to go out and run my best and focus on me, and the clock placement doesn’t matter,” Larson said. “It’s all about improvement and focusing on me.”

Pick up next week’s paper to see our profile on McKenzie Warren

Saints sweep Lane; swept by Clark by Brandon Raleigh The Advocate

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Freshman catcher Louis Wolf follows through against Chemeketa. Wolf had a hit and a run in the doubleheader.

The Saints (14-22 overall, 11-13 South Region) played in a doubleheader on Saturday against the division-leading Clark Penguins, coming up empty with two tough losses. Game One was disappointing for the Saints, who were unable to produce much offense, losing 5-1. Freshman Andrew Reichenbach contributed three hits in four at-bats for Mt. Hood. In Game Two, Clark got out to an early 5-0 lead in the second inning. Mt. Hood then battled its way back, forcing extra innings, but in the 10th, Clark scored a run to walk away with a

6-5 victory. Sophomore Mike Travers paced the Saints’ offense, with two hits and two RBIs in two at-bats. “We continuously put ourselves in position to go ahead. We had runners on second four different times, we just couldn’t get a hit to take the lead,” said Mt. Hood head coach Bryan Donohue on the extra-innings defeat. The Saints had better luck one day earlier, playing a Friday afternoon double-header against Lane Community College in Eugene. Mt. Hood was able to take both games of the series, winning 4-2 and 3-2. In the first game, the Saints got a quick start, batting in two runs in the

first inning. Lane tied the game in the sixth, but MHCC responded with a run in the seventh and eighth innings. Sophomore Jake Azevedo recorded two hits and two RBIs in two at-bats for Mt. Hood. Freshman Evan Jones added two hits and two RBIs in four at-bats. The Saints started Game Two fast as they did Game One, scoring two runs behind a Cole Hamilton triple. Mt. Hood was able to hold off Lane fairly easily as it cruised to a 3-2 victory. Donohue had good things to say about the victories over Lane. “It was a fun day to be a part of; we had a lot of energy. It’s not like we were blowing them out or anything, but we just kind of grabbed leads and held onto them.”

He continued, “Two huge wins, big confidence boosters for us to go down there and take two from the first-place team.” Despite the tough losses to Clark, the Saints still have a chance at making the NWAACC playoffs. With all six remaining games scheduled on their home field, they still have a shot. The Saints square off against Clackamas Community College (7-21, 6-18 South) on Saturday, with games scheduled at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. On Sunday, Mt. Hood hosts a double-header against Southwestern Oregon. Next Friday, the Saints finish off the schedule with a double-header against Chemeketa Community College.