Volume 67 Issue 6
thechaparral.net
September 16, 2019
Dreamer Resource Center opens this semester BY ESTEFANIA MOREIRA STAFF REPORTER
The Dreamer Resource Center will open its doors Oct. 10, 2019. The center is located in the South Annex section of College of the Desert’s Palm Desert campus. Staff say the center will offer a supportive environment for undocumented students. Counselor Jose Simo and Rubi Becerril Gonzalez, an outreach specialist, are committed to providing essential services and resources to AB 540 students. The Dreamer Resource Center will provide referrals to additional services students may need. The center’s staff will also be working closely with community partners for undocumented students to have access to legal consultations and other services, such as DACA renewal, permanent residency, citizenship and an understanding of worker’s
BY ALEXANDRO ZATARAIN
rights. Legal screening will be provided for students that will allow them to apply, if eligible, for permanent residency regarding their case. Simo said, “Some students do not know or are not aware they may be eligible to apply. In the Dreamer Resource Center, we connect students with our working community partnerships such as the TODEC Legal Center for legal services to help them.” The center’s goal is to connect undocumented students with community services which they will find beneficial. The Dreamer Resource Center will also provide academic advising for students who are pursuing a certificate or a degree to transfer. The center supports the student’s process. “This will be the place where undocumented students will have access to information they may require,”
said Becerril. The Dreamer Resource Center would not have happened without the inspiration, encouragement and diligence of the student club, Alas Con Futuro. Active since 2009, this club has helped guide undocumented students for information access, financial resources and information on their legal rights. For the past eleven years, Alas Con Futuro has done a lot of community outreach for high school students and continues to do so today. The club and the center are both separate entities, yet they both work together to help undocumented students. The center will also be used for workshops, scholarship information and help with college assignments. No applications are needed to be able to come to the center; students who come from undocumented families and want information about their
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHAPARRAL Rubi Gonzalez, counseling outreach specialist, poses in front of the new dreamer parents status can also stop by. “This is a need for our undocumented students at College of the Desert. There are about 15,000 students and a good eight percent may be undocumented,” said Simo. He said Amanda Phillips, the supervisor and interim dean of counseling has been supportive of their mission. COD undocumented
students have a center filled with helpful services. It’s the first to open in the valley and it is a fresh start for the future. If you are undocumented and have questions or need more information, contact Rubi Becerril Gonzalez at 760-565-4850. Or visit www. collegeofthedesert.edu/ dreamers.
Enrollment looking strong for fall 2019
STAFF REPORTER
College of the Desert’s fall 2019 semester is in a healthy state. The college continues to increase its numbers showing continual upward momentum. “We are at least six percent higher than last year,” said Dr. Oscar Espinoza-Parra, the dean of enrollment services at COD in reference to the year-to-date numbers from last fall 2018. “We look very positive. We’re still expecting some gains in terms of overall enrollments,” Espinoza-Parra said. “We’re approaching almost 14,000 students, and we’re projected to receive more.” As of Sept. 12, 2019, 13,466 students were enrolled across all programs. With the semester only in its first month, numbers are still very fluid and concrete numbers will not be readily available until roughly two months into a class’s completion. “We also have some programs that start their classes later on,” said
Students hanging out in the Cravens Student Center.
PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEGE OF THE DESERT
Espinoza-Parra. “It’s very complicated,” he said when discussing with him the enrollment projections. The expansion of programs and courses at the college have helped aide in the college’s growth in enrollment. There are more than 150 degrees, certificates and programs available for students. The list of course offerings continues
to grow every semester as new curriculum is being developed. The EDGE/pLEDGE program, which covers tuition, fees and provides summerintensive English and math courses, has also played a prominent role in the rise of first-time freshmen straight out of high school. Nonetheless, he believes a rise is imminent this semester.
However, there is no one set of reasons as to why the college has seen such success in its growth. It is a formula, a culmination, of various factors in which administration draws upon to increase enrollment. “A huge number of factors go into enrollment management. A lot of it is really based on assessing data, assessing patterns and obtaining input
and now she holds the title vice president of instruction. Nery became the first in her family to complete a college education, acquiring a doctorate in sociology at the University of California, Riverside. Nery said her goals are based on evaluating ways that lead the college in a direction that best helps students achieve their academic goals. “Team success is always our number one goal. The way we define team success here at College of the Desert is the achievement of students educational goals. Our success is measured every time a student reaches their goals.” Jeff Baker has been working as interim vice president of
instruction and is now vice president of student services. Baker has an educational background in counseling including a degree at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. Baker credits the combined work of staff and students for COD’s rising success. “The work of our faculty, staff and student leadership have played a big role in our community college becoming nationally recognized,” Baker said. “The work that we do is to provide leadership and to support everyone that makes it happen.” Baker also emphasized that the college welcomes anyone looking to further their education.
“We don’t turn anyone away. We are open to anyone.’’ Baker said. “Some people join just for lifelong learning, some people for a certificate or transfer and some come for a combination of them all. We serve a wonderfully diverse student population from all walks of life.” Nery is excited with the growth and direction the college is taking. The Aspen award nomination for community college excellence COD received last year is just one recent accomplishment. The Aspen award is one of the most prestigious community college awards in the country. It recognizes high achievement and performance. With a singular focus on
from department chairs, instructional deans and involvement and engagement of faculty,” said Espinoza-Parra. The college’s various moving arms, such as the department chairs and deans mentioned above, act as a collective to obtain and disseminate information. Knowing the student’s educational plans, the courses needed most for each campus and the courses and programs students have interest in are all variables that shape the school’s catalog. This comes just months after yet another record-breaking graduating class. In May last semester, the college conferred more than 1,576 degrees and certificates, a 50 percent increase over the last four years. For more information on College of the Desert’s enrollment numbers and demographics, visit collegeofthedesert.edu.
New vice presidents committed to continued growth
BY JACOB SCHULTE STAFF REPORTER
College of the Desert is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in California. While enrollment across many two-year schools in the state is dropping or fluctuating, COD continues to grow and diversify its student body and educational options each year. Dr. Annebelle Nery is one of two newly appointed vice presidents at the college, and a familiar face to many around campus. Nery began as a faculty staff member 12 years ago and has worked several positions at COD including the executive dean and vice president of student success
CAMPUS - PAGE 2 New Automotive Tech Program comes to COD
LOCAL - PAGE 3 CV Food Truck Park
A & E - PAGE 4 Addams Family hits the stage this fall
OPINION - PAGE 5 New Disney Streaming Service
student success, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings and high-levels of access and success for minority and lowincome students. Nery said the local community is an essential objective for COD and assures that the college will continue to expand within. “We’ve been adding sections almost every semester, adding faculty and staff, getting more tools and resources to our multiple campuses for our students. We are dedicated to having classes and learning tools available to students to the best of our abilities.” Nery said.
SPORTS - PAGE 6 Volleyball is ready for a successful season
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Campus
September 16, 2019
Automotive program prepares students for workforce
BY MELISSA ESPINOZA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF For the last 60 years, College of the Desert has been offering students a variety of opportunities in many different career paths. One program providing students an edge is the Automotive Technology Program. The courses and degrees offered have been helping students achieve their goals in an extremely competitive automotive service industry. Professor Douglas Redman, who has been teaching at COD since August 2007, said students can obtain two degrees and a number of different licenses on automotive services. “We offer automotive and advanced transportation and technology programs. The advanced transportation, which would involve the hydrogen CNG and hybrid, started around 2001 or so,” said Redman. These two programs are certified by The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NAFET). Students who are part of the program are preparing to solve the many problems that they would face while working in the professional automotive field. “We’re set up like most automotive training facilities, including the private automotive facilities, we are going to take
as possible. “I do see that as being a market for the future, like, once warranties wear out and people don’t want to spend the money taking their car to the dealership, I see that as possibly a moneymaker for a business, but right now I don’t. That’s not what I want to do, I know how to do it from learning from the classes here, but that’s not my interest and what I want to so with my business,” said Moeller. The program is expanding,
Two Dodge Chargers in the Diesel Mechanics building. them through from wherever they are at to get them a strong understanding and get them equipped for an entry-level position,” said Redman. Ashley Moeller, an automotive technology major, is one of the many COD students who are currently part of the automotive program. Moller plans to open her own business in the valley to help the local community. “I want to open an all-female automotive shop here in the Coachella Valley, and I figured in order to do so and to work in
the automotive field and being taken seriously as a female in the field, I should probably get some paperwork to back me up, my associates degree would be perfect for that and all of the little certificates that the school offers along the way. It would put backing into what I want to do in the future,” said Moeller. Students in the program are not only taught how to fix cars, but they also learn about the work environment, customer service and the new technologies that are taking over the industry.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHAPARRAL
Over the years the automotive program has been able to purchase some of the newest, and most technologically advanced vehicles in the market. It now has an electric Fiat, a Prius with a heads-up display and a Toyota Mirai fuel cell car. But students are not limited to one specific interest. They are expected to do all that the program offers and learn about the new technologies. For Moeller, she has one focus for her business but also sees the advantages of learning as much
and there are plans to move it to Cathedral City. The new location would provide students closer access to more job opportunities and where students interested in the program can learn in an environment made just for them. “I understand this could be intimidating, but we have a lot of fun over here. Our classes are designed for about half the time in the classroom and the other half of time in the lab and we’re gonna get our hands dirty in the lab. We’re gonna do a lot of things and there is a sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with that in a lot of the task we do...push yourself, get over that intimidation and I think you would really enjoy it,” said Redman.
Journalism students chosen to intern at Desert Sun BY AMBER JUAREZ COPY EDITOR
During the summer months, the Desert Sun newspaper offered paid internship for two qualified College of the Desert students. The opportunity gave students hands-on experience with journalism and digital design and was made possible through generous contributions to a new COD internship program named after longtime reporter Bruce Fessier, who wrote about arts and culture at the Desert Sun for many years. He retired in June. The Bruce Fessier Internship Fund was created for College of the Desert students who are passionate about journalism and want to learn more about working for a newspaper. The two recipients of the Desert Sun Internship were college graduate Shane Tate and COD's campus newspaper, The Chaparral's former Editor-inChief, Alexandria Rosales. We spoke with Rosales about her experience. She was in complete shock when she heard she got the internship. "When I got the call I was surprised and shocked," said
Rosales. During her interview, Rosales said she felt as if she wasn't herself because she thought she was too perfect, but she was also very excited to be spending her summer interning. During the internship, Rosales and Tate produced two podcasts for iHubRadio every day. The two of them were the first to do the podcasts since the Desert Sun had not done radio news before. She was also able to write a few stories and help assist the reporters in whatever they needed, going to court cases, and writing notes for them. Rosales said that it was a lot of hands-on work. This internship helped Rosales gain essential skills when it comes to communicating with people she works with, like her editors. She was also able to see how other reporters interact with people during face to face interviews, emails, and over the phone. This experience also helped her become a better writer. Rosales described her internship as something she has never experienced before. She said, "This gives me a confirmation on what I want
to do, and that is journalism, I really enjoy it." Rosales' advice for anyone who is considering interning at a newspaper is to give it your all, give it your complete focus and to ask a lot of questions. "Don't be afraid to ask questions be that person who asks a lot of questions, editors see that drive and hunger for learning in you, and they see that you want to do stuff," said Rosales. She also added if you ever get bad feedback on a story, do not take it personally, "The editors are just doing their job. At the end of the day, it's their name on the paper, and they're just trying to make the paper look as good as possible." Rosales hopes other journalism majors will take on an opportunity like this because it is very beneficial for students. She said, "You shouldn't be afraid to apply to internships, the worst thing they can say is no, but you won't know unless you apply. Whenever an opportunity like the Desert Sun or any internship comes up, jump on PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEXANDRIA ROSALES it because those opportunities Alexandria Rosales former Editior-in-Chief of The Chaparral. don't always come.''
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September 16, 2019
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Local
First Latina representative in PS stands for minorities BY ESTEFANIA MOREIRA STAFF REPORTER
Candidate Grace Garner is running for Palm Springs City Council District One. She is the only young female Latina running for this position and in any of the districts in Palm Springs. Garner said “Latino, Asian and African American representation needs to happen in our valley. There are older people who are currently in the council and represent them. Yet I believe our city needs more youth representation since they are the future and minority groups need to be heard.” It is a big shift to have Latino representation in the Palm Springs City Council. Over the years, the city council has been known for a high percentage of white, wealthy males running for district representative. Rarely did any females run. When Christy Holstege, who is a millennial, won a district position in 2017, it brought encouragement not just for Garner, but for many others. Garner explained how important it is to have young millennial’s like Holstege take part in city politics. “We have young people living in our city. It is time our council changes on having more youth involved. Mostly everyone is educated about federal and state politics, but what about our city?” She said, “We need to take an extra step further to bring lowerincome/middle-class groups involve in city politics as well as minority groups.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA BRUGGEMANS Grace Garner poses in front of the Palm Springs sign. The attorney said this year, 2019, districts one, two and three will be up for election and then it will transition to districts four and five in 2020. Every district is divided into five sections and each has a representative. Representatives come together to discuss the main issues the city is facing. Even though each candidate has their own policies and ideas they want to bring to the table, they all work together for the city as a whole. Garner said, “Many people in our valley do not know fundamentally how the council works. We may be divided into districts but everyone helps to better our city. In the past, we only had one person in charge of all five districts and this lead to issues. This
is why we now have more representatives in districts.” One of the main issues in Palm Springs is the increased price of homes and rent. She said this is following other cities like Cathedral City and Palm Desert. Rent or purchasing a home is becoming unaffordable for our local residents. Garner has not been the only candidate in her district to place this issue in the spotlight, candidates in districts two, and three have emphasized this problem too. Garner said, “Cities are becoming expensive and the core reason is because of tourism.” She went on to say, “We have more tourists staying in our valley for six months or more. A great example is the Rowan and the Palm Springs
new developments projects. People come for vacation, look for homes, and stay. Thus this makes the city money, but prices will continue to increase and will only be affordable for the wealthy. But for people who come from low/ middle class will struggle for the continuation of increased rent and purchase of homes.” She further explained that many people from Los Angeles have come to stay in our cities and since LA has increased in pricing over the past years, the residents move to our valley. The big difference is LA residents can afford a $1,500 apartment vs. a $2,000 - $3,000 condo.” Developers and homeowners are taking advantage of this situation to make more profit and
are continuing to do so. For low income/middle-class residents, most have no choice but to relocate.” Garner also said young residents have a high percentage of not being able to afford rent or have the opportunity to purchase homes. She knows this issue is important in Palm Springs and if she wins in her district she said, I will work on changing this issue and make the city more affordable for local residents,” said Garner. Garner’s inspiration for running is to encourage minorities who are living in the city to get involved in their city politics. If Garner wins in her district, she would be the third female to win and the first female Latina representative ever in the Palm Springs City Council and if elected, she wants to create a youth commission for young people to learn more about their cities politics for more involvement. She wants to bring new principles to the table and believes it is not wrong to take risks. “I want to bring out the best in our community. I want to resolve these issues that I have addressed and I want youth, low income/ middle-class groups and minorities to know they will be heard. District two and three also have candidates who share my same beliefs and want to bring change in our community. It is important to get involved in your cities politics. Please do not forget to vote,” said Garner.
Indio business mobilizes food, culture & entrepreneurship ALEXANDRO ZATARAIN STAFF REPORTER
Entering the food business is difficult. Food trucks? Even tougher here in the Coachella Valley. Breaking down that barrier is Erick Becerril, who is mobilizing food, culture and a new generation of entrepreneurs. Becerril is the owner and founder of the CV Food Truck Park, one of the Coachella Valley’s newest unique startups. Food, art, music and soon comedy, are all portions of what makes this company vital to the community. However, it is much more than that. The development of the CV Food Truck Park came as what Becerril described as the “social injustice in the mobile food industry.” ”What I felt was unique about the food truck industry is how much pressure they get from the restaurant industry. They’re seen as the lower tier restaurateurs. They don’t get the respect other restaurants deserve.” A building inspector with the City of Indio, Becerril deals with permits on a consistent basis. Through his background dealing with various developments in the area, including restaurants, this Fontana-born businessman had a good sense of what it took to enter the food business. ”I kind of started diving into it and seeing what it would take to
start up a pop-up food business,” Becerril said. To his surprise, he found very little help for those who wanted to start such an endeavor. It is here where the idea of helping others start their food business came to fruition. However, the next big thing was missing: a place for these new restaurateurs to go. I got more and more involved in the legislative part about what the rules were.” As Becerril obtained more information, the CV Food Truck Park was born. The premise of the operation was to educate vendors on how to get their permits and provide them with the platform to sell their items. The initial reception was mixed when this was all but an idea in Becerril’s mind. Start-up food vendors and the public was on board. “The reception that we initially got was that it was a good idea.” There were questions as to how it would impact local, established restaurants. “It may not be in the forefront, you may not see it, but you’ll see it in the rules and regulations,” Becerril said about the various roadblocks put in place to deter mobile food vendors. “I know that by doing this, I’m opening up a lot more doors for people to want to do something similar, or preferable start up their own business.” The city of Coachella hosted
Coachella Valley Food Truck Park founder, Erick Becerril preparing for a Coachella event. the first mobile food event in March of this year. With over 20 vendors, the first event featured diverse food spanning from tacos to vegan options, and boba drinks to ice cream. The nine day event spanning over three weekends saw 28 thousand visitors from around the valley. Seven months later, and business is progressing. In that span of time, the group has received permits for more than 15 businesses. Becerril has now been approached by several cities
and restaurants to take part in more significant events. “We’re becoming a vital resource to the community,” he said when asked about what has surprised him about since launching the tangible product. The most recent event Becerril participated in was the Indio National Day Out for local law enforcement, which featured three food trucks and attendance of roughly 3,000 people. As for the last event put on solely by the group, the Eggstravaganza
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHAPARRAL
over Easter at the Indio Grand Marketplace saw over 5,000 people. The Palm Springs Police Department National Night Out, will take place on Oct 1. This event will be the next place CV Food Truck Park can be found. For more information on the CV Food Truck Park, you can visit their website www. cvfoodtruckpark.com or follow them on social media at CVFoodTrucks.
CAMPUS EVENTS Fall Student Transfer Fair
Cravens Student Services Center Multi-purpose Room/10/2/2019 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The Addams Family
College of the Desert Performing Arts at the McCallum Theatre Oct. 24, 25, 26 & 27 10/24/2019 Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 10/25/2019 Time 8:00.p.m. - 10:30 p.m. 10/26/2019 Time:.8:00p.m. - 10:30 p.m. 10/27/2019 Time: 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. For tickets, call 760-340-ARTS or visit www.mccallumtheatre.com.
COD Art Faculty Exhibition
Until 9/25/2019/ 12:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. Marks Art Center
Stonewall 50: “Half A Century LGBT Activism” 10/14/2019 - 11/14/2019 Marks Art Center
thechaparral.net
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September 16, 2019
Arts & Entertainment
BY CARLOS GARCIA
Addams Family hits the stage this fall
A&E EDITOR
One of the most spooky, and ghoulish families of all time is coming to the big stage this fall. The Addams Family Musical will bring its silly, haunting ways to the McCallum Theatre. The play will run from Oct. 24 - 27. Four days, a chance for everyone to see a favorite spooky show. Adjunct music instructor Scott Smith, who has been working at College of the Desert since 1996, and is currently working as the music director and production coordinator for the Addams Family Musical, said, “We do this McCallum schedule, and we were moving it from spring to fall, and when I saw that our dates were coming up right before Halloween, I thought what a perfect selection for that. For the production of the
Addams Family Musical, you can depend on seeing the same spooky family we all know. “In any time you get into live theatre, television or even film, the characters that is on the printed page will become an amalgamation of what the actor, director and this case what the makeup artist bring to it. Gomez Addams will definitely be recognized, Morticia will be Morticia and Uncle Fester will be Uncle Fester.” Smith said explaining the layout of the characters in the musical. ”We try to keep the production value very high, we are one of the few theaters especially locally that always use live orchestra,” said Smith, “This play is a little bit more modern on the music so it is a smaller orchestra. Though it’s still the full gamut. We try to do our best to give the best sound, lights, orchestration, costuming
The cast of the Addams Family Musical. and makeup. You know what the audience could expect to see with any good broadway tour that came through.” For the production of the Addams Family Musical, you can depend on seeing the same spooky family we all know. “In any time you get into live theatre, television or even film, the characters that are on the printed page will become an amalgamation of
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHAPARRAL what the actor, director and this case what the makeup artist bring to it. Gomez Addams will definitely be recognized, Morticia will be Morticia and Uncle Fester will be Uncle Fester.” Smith said explaining the layout of the characters in the musical. Also, for the hopefuls who wish to get into theatre and the acting scene, Smith said, “COD is a swinging deal. We
have vocal, instrumental and theatre instructors. If you’re interested in either just getting your feet wet and see what it is all about. Or even if you have the experience and want to keep expanding your horizon, I would suggest looking into the classwork COD has to offer and keep an eye on the campus website when we have auditions coming up.” For anyone interested in auditions and future plays, stay up to date with the school website and make frequent visits. For more information on ticket and showtimes, visit www.mccallumtheatre.com. ”Come and be prepared to have a good time. Its going to be pretty silly. This will be over the top pretty silly,” said Smith to anyone planning to come watch the Addams Family Musical this fall.
Sony and Disney fight off villain role vs. Spider-Fans
BY JACOB SCHULTE STAFF REPORTER
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” became the fifth movie this year to gross over a billion dollars worldwide, hitting the mark just a month after it was released. It was the first Spider-Man film to accomplish this, and the first of the year not distributed by Disney. Unfortunately for fans of the most famous wall-crawler in pop culture is facing threats from an old arch-nemesis: fair use laws. Many fans want SpiderMan to stay where he is, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That won’t be the case as Sony has resumed full control of Spider-Man film production after profit-sharing terms couldn’t be met with Disney’s Marvel Studios. Stan Lee’s most famous creation from 1962 is no stranger to copyright limbo. In 1977, a Japanese television series was created and a theatrical spin-off of the series was released to select theaters in Japan, but the rights to Spider-man film weren’t officially purchased from Marvel until Cannon Films purchased them for $225,000 in 1985 and a clause in the
contract required the movie to be made within five years or the rights would revert to Marvel. In the late 80’s and early 90’s movie scripts by horror/action directing moguls Tobe Hooper (“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Poltergeist”) and James Cameron (“Terminator, Aliens”) were rejected as they strayed too far from the beloved comics and the films never made it through the pre-production phase in time to meet contract obligations. After years of legal battles with multiple studios claiming ownership to the rights of Spider-Man, a judge ruled all former contracts and extensions were voided, and both film and merchandising rights to Spider-Man were reverted to Marvel in 1998, only to be sold Columbia/Sony Pictures for just $10 million cash the next year. It would be a bargain as Spidey properties would bring in big money to Sony for years. Reports were that rights for the rest of Marvel’s superhero cast could have been had for as little as $25 million, but Sony’s upper-management was interested only in the properties for Spider-Man. Disney would go on to purchase Marvel,
PHOTO COURTESY OF AP IMAGES Actor Tom Holland talks during a press conference for his new movie “Spider-Man: Far-from Home” in Soeul, South Korea, July 1, 2019. and it’s entities in 2010 for $4 billion. Sony didn’t waste time with their newly acquired commodity, and in 2002, “Spider-Man” was released, the first of three films directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire. The massive box office and critical successes of “Spider-Man” and “SpiderMan 2” (2004) meant superhero movies were back to the forefront of Hollywood for the first time since Superman broke box office records. Big budget, ambitious comic book-based film were now being made such as the Christopher Nolan directed “Batman Begins” (2005) and Jon Favreau directed “Iron Man” (2008). Mixed critical and fan reception to “Spider-Man 3″
(2008) led Sony to abruptly axing development on a fourth Raimi film, instead opting for an inexperienced director in Marc Webb and recast Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/ Spider-Man for “Amazing Spider-Man” (2012) and a sequel. But the declining tickets sales and mixed-to-negative reviews for “Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014) encouraged negotiations with Marvel Studios in what would become a 5-film deal that allowed Spider-Man appearances in 3 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies as well as two standalone films, both of which became the highest-grossing films in “Spider-Man’s” history. “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017) and “Spider-Man: Far
characters and you could hear it in their voices, which I’m sure is hard to do when having
was Skektek, who was voiced by Mark Hammil. I will say that his performance was
From Home” (2019) cast the youngest Spidey yet as Tom Holland was just 20 years old while “Homecoming” was being filmed. The result was a slightly more awkward but much more relatable hero that an audience became enthralled with immediately when introduced in Disney/Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War.“ Holland remains under contract for two more SpiderMan Films, but dedicated Spider-fans won’t be quick to forget the impact Marvel Studios Chief Kevin Feige and the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s talented production team made during the webhead’s time as an Avenger–or the borderline disaster of Sony Picture’s not-so-amazing reboot that predated it. The expectations for SpiderMan have been brought back to skyscraper levels. With a plethora of super-villains but few super-sidekicks (even his employer plots endlessly against him) in his 57-year history, it looks as if our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is back to being the popular outsider of the superhero world.
Review: ‘The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance’ ADRIAN SALCEDO STAFF REPORTER
“The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance” is a Netflix fantasy television show that premiered on Aug. 30 and was directed by Louis Leterrier. The show is a prequel and origin story that follows the “The Dark Crystal” movie that came out in 1982. The plot is about three characters, which are small elf-like natives called Gelflings. Rian (voiced by Taron Egerton), Brea (voiced by Anya TaylorJoy ) and Deet (voiced by Nathalie Emmanuel), are on a quest to start a rebellion and prevent a sickening disease, after learning about the Skeksis. A race of bird and raptor-like creatures, whose true intentions are to use the Crystal Of Truth for their benefit. From what I can say, the story is not exactly groundbreaking or unusual, but I would say it is epic as you see how the characters develop and break through the hardships they encounter particularly the three main characters. The Gelflings are small, yet they fight and stand up to the evil they are facing. It was tough for me to find anything to dislike or complain about. If you’re a fan of the original movie and fantasy as a whole, there was a lot to love
and appreciate about this show. One of the things that made the original movie memorable was that all of the characters were puppets and the production designs were mostly all real. The show did a beautiful job at doing everything that the movie did without straying too far from what made it so good. The puppet designs were creative and detailed, along with the environments. You can tell that they took the time to bring everything to life, from the fantasy looking trees to the wild that lives in them, from the castle halls that the Skeksis rule, to the little towns that some of the Gelfling clans live in. The CGI was as excellent as the production designs. The blending of it matched the world of “The Dark Crystal.” The CGI was obvious, but it didn’t look fake, out of place or poorly made. For example, in a scene where Rian’s father is ready to escort a couple of Skeksis to another area, three rolly polly bugs crawled out of some holes nearby, and I’m pretty they were hand made, but at the same time, they had to be CGI’d. The character performances were well voiced by the actors who played them. They gave expressions to the emotions of
PHOTO COURTESY OF AP IMAGES Executive producer and director Louis Leterrier, left, actors Hannah John-Kamen, Keegan-Mitchell Key, Donna Kimball, Jason Isaacs, Nathalie Emmanuel and Lisa Henson pose together at the premiere of Netflix’s “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” at the Musuem of the Moving Image, Aug, 27, 2019, in New York. to puppeteer and voiced a character, so I give credit to the effort they put to make these characters real. The character performances were strongly voiced by the actors who played them. They gave expressions to the emotions of the characters, which I’m sure is hard to do when having to puppeteer and voice a character, so I give credit to the effort they put into making these characters real. I had two favorite characters, first Deet. She is one of the main characters, and I liked that she was an innocent, animal-loving, Gelfling. She was sweet and optimistic, and that was transmitted to everyone. My second favorite character
excellent. As much as I disliked the Skeksis, it was honestly entertaining to watch this character talk in frustration, and I won’t say much about it, especially if you are familiar with Mark Hammil’s reputation as a voice actor, but you will have to watch it and see for yourself. The more I watched the show, the harder it was to find anything to dislike. Not that it was perfect, but it’s just that there was not anything for me to complain about. However, despite my love for it, I do not think this show is for everyone. I do feel that some people would say that it looks weird or creepy because of the puppet designs and not everyone is interested in this
genre, especially if they haven’t seen the movie. Which I can understand because in a way they do look weird, and it’s not precisely something audiences are used to seeing these days due to the fact most movies depend on CGI. Overall, it’s hard not to recommend the show to anyone, even if you’re not familiar with the movie or a fan of the genre you should give it a try, specially if you are feeling nostalgic for the 80’s. This show is an excellent way to reminisce on the era, because of that 80’s vibe that it gives. So I’m sure for someone who was growing up back then and watched movies like Labyrinth, The NeverEnding Story, The Princess Bride, this show will feel at home. “The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance” was breathtaking and beautiful to look at. It was fun, entertaining and I just really appreciated the art of the show. There is a lot to love. here, so I recommend going home, getting on Netflix, and watching it with your friends, family or loved one. You won’t be disappointed. I give “The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance” a 9 out of 10 rating.
September 16, 2019
thechaparral.net
Page 5
Opinion
Disney+ streaming service enters the binge era BY RAMON RAMIREZ STAFF REPORTER
The big three streaming services today are Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. These services offer numerous amounts of content, and each has its benefits and disadvantages depending on what you are looking to watch. For an additional charge, Hulu and Amazon, offer add-ons to their services, like HBO, Showtime, Starz and Cinemax. However, on Nov. 12, the arrival of Disney+ could change the way we manage our individual subscriptions to streaming services. Disney+ looks to attract as many people as possible by offering their service to sports fans, as well as new and existing Hulu subscribers. At the beginning of August, Disney announced that they would provide a $12.99 service that bundles Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu all in one package. ESPEN+ offers MLB, NHL and MLS games, as well as tennis, boxing, golf and college sports. Already this sounds
D23 expo is every other year and offers an inside look on what to expect all things Disney. appealing to many families because you can have someone watching a baseball or boxing event, while the other family members enjoy watching a movie in the service. To me, this gives the Disney+ bundle an advantage over other services because you are getting more content for about the same price as the top subscription on Netflix. With the recent D23 event, which took place August 23 - 25, Disney managed to
captivate audiences, once again, with a more precise understanding of what to expect on their streaming service. Announcements like the Obi-wan Kenobi series, She-Hulk series, Lizzie McGuire revival, Lady and the Tramp movie and Noelle as a few of the series and films coming on the first day Disney+ are launching. This line-up was just a small portion of what you can expect on the service. For
PHOTO COURTESY OF AP IMAGES
many people, the main reason why they will be subscribing is for everything Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars. These three big studios might not have everything day one, but the fact that eventually all of these will be on their library is what’s going to keep people interested. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will debut in theaters on Dec. 20, but first, fans of the franchise can watch something on the streaming service to satisfy their Star Wars
craving. The Mandolorian is one of the most anticipated Disney+ streaming shows and will be available at launch. Marvel shows such as The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki and WandaVision will be arriving within it’s first and second year of launch. Pixar movies that will also be available to stream right away will include classics and recent titles such as A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, The Incredibles, Toy Story and Up. I think all of these titles alone are worth the subscription simply because of nostalgia and are some of the titles I grew up watching and it will be nice to see them in one place. Disney+ might not win the streaming war right out of the gate but with all the content that will arrive in the service eventually, I think it will become a rival to Netflix and HBO as the top streaming provider.
One nutritionist weighs in on the popular keto diet BY ESTEFANIA MOREIRA STAFF REPORTER
The ketogenic plan, otherwise known as keto, promises weight loss through fat burning and an overall healthy lifestyle. The diet consists of consuming healthy fats, high proteins, an unlimited amount of vegetables and eliminating glucose from your diet. By following these steps, the keto guarantees impressive results. However, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, Ceclia Martinez does not think so. “The ketogenic diet is a plan I would not recommend to my clients nor anyone who is trying to have a better healthy lifestyle,” said Martinez. Martinez believes this diet plan is not for long term goals, in fact, it is just another fad diet and is misleading people gravely. She said, “The keto plan can do more harm than good. Eliminating carbohydrates means you are eliminating glucose from your body which the brain needs. There is this myth which claims carbs are bad for you and you
should not consume them. Yet what people do not realize is that carbs are the bodies preferred source of fuel to function.” “Keto is related to the Atkins diet which is another low carb plan. The keto diet involves dramatically reducing your carbohydrate consumption and substitute it with fat. This dietary alteration process is called ketosis which manipulates your brain and body to burn fat cells instead of glucose,” explained Martinez. The diet plan claims when the body does not have enough glucose it will burn stored fat and use it for energy and the ultimate goal is to enforce the body to burn fat instead of carbs. Keto guarantees insulin levels will be reduced, you will have superior weight loss, and you will have a lower risk of other health diseases. But Martinez said too much of something is not good for your health and focusing on just fat and protein will not lower your risk of health diseases, in fact it will increase. Too much protein will give you
a higher risk in cholesterol, heart issues and possibly diabetes. “When I work with patients who have these issues or are searching for guidance and I am asked if this plan works, it is not a long term life change nor is it stable. Sure it works on the first few weeks and you will lose weight and burn fat, but once you stop you will gain triple of the amount of weight and fat you just lost. Keto is not a recommended plan for diabetic patients nor people who suffer from heart disease. For an individual who does not have health issues and wants to do keto for their health goals, they are not realizing the deficiencies they are getting themselves into,” said Martinez. According to Martinez, the ketogenic plan was clinically recommended for children who suffer from epilepsy and seizures in the past. Before being called “ketogenic” it was known as “the long-chained triglyceride diet” which provides high fat, protein and low carbs.
The major difference is this plan was medically recommended from doctors, neurologists and registered dietitians. This is not something a normal person should consider without the approval and guidance from a registered dietitian. “There is definitely a lack of nutritional education in our society. There is so many food trends, fads and lies that people should be cautious and aware. There is no miracle pill, no magic weight loss plan, and eliminating one food group [unless you medically need to] will not help your health and weight loss goals.
For example, extreme diets like this one, being used long term can possibly harm your kidneys from the high protein consumption. There is nothing better than to recommend a healthy well-balanced diet and spreading awareness. It’s all about balance,” said Martinez. Nutrition is long term, not short term and is recommended that you follow a balance diet. “Food is great for you and eating your whole grains is nothing to dismiss and feel ashamed to consume. Food is personal and following a balanced diet will guarantee successful results,” said Martinez.
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September 16, 2019
thechaparral.net
Sports
Women’s volleyball team ready for a successful season
BY RAMON RAMIREZ STAFF REPORTER
It’s an exciting time to be a sports fan at College of the Desert, especially if you are a fan of women’s volleyball. Last season, the team came up just short of the playoffs. The Mt. San Jacinto team got in, instead of the Roadrunners. This year, the team co-led by coach Detlev Rothe, look to turn things around and improve upon last years results. Rothe and players Alex Salinas and Kendal CampbellFaynor discussed what volleyball fans could look forward to this year. After coming off some impressive wins against Imperial Valley College and East Los Angeles, the Roadrunners hope that same success continues throughout the season. “This team is resilient,” said Rothe when describing the COD Women’s Volleyball team.
COD women’s volleyball coach Detlev Rothe talks with the players in practice. With only one true returning starter in the lineup, Rothe said, “This year, every player stepping out from the first day of practice looked around and said well, I have an opportunity to be equally as valuable and the important
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHAPARRAL
thing is that they all regard each other equally.” He went on to say, “We have a team of girls who are willing to say, ‘let it be me at this moment.’ It’s been healthy competition, support and development as a group.”
New player, Alex Salinas, wishes she played last year since she was already being scouted by Rothe at Palm Springs High School. “I remember my high school coach telling me that Rothe was looking at me and wanted
to talk to me,” she said, “I can play and do anything coach wants me to do.” Kendal Campbell-Faynor, who is returning to play this season said, “My family always came on vacation here and I decided to go to school here.” Campbell-Faynor is originally from Canada but always wanted to go to school in the United States. “The team gets along and has good chemistry together and doesn’t clash like last year,” said Campbell-Faynor. She is also looking forward to playing Costa Mesa. “They are one of our tougher competitors and historically always have a good team.” The Roadrunners have a long season ahead but hope to go further than ever before. The team will be playing against Fullerton and Grossmont on Sept. 21 and against Butte and Mt. San Antonio on Sept. 28.
Roadrunners impress despite the loss against Pasadena
BY OMAR ROMERO STAFF REPORTER
The COD Desert Roadrunners (0-1) lost a tough home game to the Pasadena City Lancers (1-0), 22-13, to open up the season. The defense came ready to play as they amounted for 10 sacks, a couple of forced turnovers including an interception in the end zone and a blocked punt, but the offense was lackluster, only amounting 96 total offensive yards. Sophomore linebacker Quintcy Egson (Indio Shadow Hills) was a living highlight reel as he collected 11 total tackles, 3 of them being sacks for 21 tackle-for-loss yards, a forced fumble and a blocked punt to start off his year. The game started off in a well-paced manner for the Roadrunners as they kept the pressure on Pasadena City Quarterback Richi Schroeder for back-to-back sacks. Pasadena City punted on 4th down for 36 yards; however, COD’s return man fumbled the ball where it was recovered by the Lancers. The Lancer’s drove down the field, but their drive was intercepted when freshman strong safety Donovan Brown (Franklin Park, IL East Leyden) picked off Richi Schroeder in the end zone. The Roadrunners’ next drive was in their favor for Pasadena City was called for a personal foul, but ended in disaster when Pasadena City produced a huge sack that resulted in a forced fumble defensive touchdown for 35 yards, making the score 7-0. The Roadrunners
responded quickly with an impressive drive. A 59 yard run by sophomore running back Bronton Woodard Jr. (Goldsboro, NC Rosewood), along with a Lancer’s pass interference call, set up sophomore quarterback Armando Deniz (Thermal Coachella Valley) to throw to sophomore wide receiver Franklin Miller (Palm Springs H.S.) for a 13 yard touchdown, tying the game at 7-7. The Roadrunners opened up the second quarter with a remarkable defensive stop with back-to-back sacks once more, the second sack leading to another forced fumble that was recovered by sophomore defensive lineman Ulisses Rodriguez-Franco (Indio Shadow Hills). The fumble recovery culminated in a 29yard field goal by sophomore kicker Diego Martinez (Thermal Desert Mirage) to give the Roadrunners a 10-7 lead.The lead was short-lived; however, as Pasadena City made their own field goal to tie the game 10-10, and the score remained that way till halftime. The Roadrunners opened the second half but was forced to punt. Pasadena City would go down the field, but the Roadrunners defense held them to only a field goal to make the game 13-10. Deep into the third quarter, the Roadrunners would cause yet another forced fumble and recover the ball. This would eventually lead to another field goal by Diego Martinez (Thermal Desert Mirage) to tie the game again 13-13. To begin the fourth quarter, the Lancer’s scored a quick
PHOTO COURTESY OF COD ATHLETICS COD Roadrunners play the Pasadena City Lancers in the first season game in Palm Desert on Sept. 7, 2019. touchdown pass to make the game 20-13. Halfway’s into the fourth, Pasadena City would secure a safety, increasing their score to 22 and Desert remaining at 13. On Pasadena City’s next offensive drive, the defense made a crucial stop to force a punt. Sophomore linebacker Quintcy Egson (Indio Shadow Hills) blasted through Pasadena City’s defense for a pivotal play and block the punt where fellow Roadrunners would recover the ball on the Lancer’s 29-yard line. The play was all for naught as the Lancer’s would intercept Armando Deniz (Thermal Coachella Valley) the following drive and win the game, 22-13. After the unfortunate defeat, coach Steptoe said, “I thought my whole defense played very well. I thought they made a lot of big plays, they got turnovers, they got sacks. I
didn’t think anyone offensively stood out. I just think my defense- there were a lot of stands out; my linebackers played well, I thought my front four on the line played well, so, yeah, we stopped the run, and we made some good plays. I give all my credit to my defense.” When asked about any changes in practice, Steptoe said, “As far as practice wise, no. I think we’re going to focus more on what we want to do upfront and allow my tailbacks to be able to play and actually to be able to get into the secondary and make some runs because those are the things that are not working right now.” Next week, the Desert Roadrunner’s (0-1) host the Santa Monica Corsairs (1-0) Saturday, September 14th. These two teams met last year in week 2 when
the Roadrunner’s visited the Corsairs and won in a historical blowout victory 69-10. Steptoe said, “We gotta play better than we did tonight. I don’t take any team lightly; last year was last year. We gotta suit up and show up for next weeks game, and we’re going to have to do that and we’re going to have to be a lot more focused on what we need to do as far as offensively. I think my defense is going to show up and play well again. We just gotta score points, we had a lot of great opportunities down inside the redzone that came up empty. So I think that if they focus well and we practice well I think we will be fine. I won’t predict the score, but I think we have a great opportunity to win if we have great practice this week and take it one game at a time.”
New Women’s Basketball coach sets new goals
BY JULIO CAMACHO STAFF REPORTER
St art ing off a s a n as s ist ant c oa c h i n 2 0 1 8 , Kendyl Riz e a d i d n ' t ex p ect t o be a ssi gn e d th e head c o a c h o f t h e wom en's ba sket ba l l te am so qu i c kl y. W h en g i ven t he op p ort un i t y, Rizea wit h ou t h esi t a t i o n accept ed th e off er a n d to ok on t h e t i t l e a n d t h e res ponsibi l i t y t h a t c a m e wit h it . F inishin g t h e 2 0 1 8 s eason, t h e w ome n ' s t e a m finished 1 - 2 3 a n d w a n t e d change. Wi t h t h e prev i o u s head coac h l ea v i n g, t h e re was a spo t op en a n d R iz e a d ecided t o st ep up. Rizea is c o n f i d e n t w i t h her new t e a m, " A l ot of
PHOTO COURTESY OF COD ATHLETICS New COD Women’s Basketball head-coach Kendyl Rizea. e n t h u s i a s m , h a rd w ork, e ffo r t a n d w i l l i n g n e ss to b e co a c h e d a re w h a t I'm fi n d i n g w i t h t h e l a d ie s s o I 'm e x ci t e d fo r t h is
s e as o n. The re 's a lo t o f o p p o rtunity fo r gro w th and c hange , no p laye rs are re turning s o I hav e a c o mp le te ly ne w te am and
it fe e ls like a fresh star t. "Se v e n o ut o f eight p laye rs in the 2018 roster graduate d w hic h lef t a lo t o f s p o ts o p e n an d it le ft ro o m to s tar t a wh ole ne w p ro gram. G rowth is w hat Rize a is lookin g fo rw ard to w ith this team, s he b e lie v e s tha t th ere is p o te ntial fo r them an d c o nditio ns the m to be as b e s t as the y c an be. Altho ugh it's R izea' s firs t s e as o n as head c o ac h, s he has plen ty of e xp e rie nc e w ith being in c harge and has the ac c o lade s to b ack it up. She is a me mb e r of the Wo me n's Bas ke tball C o ac he s As s o c iation, the re c ip ie nt o f the 2014 St. C lair C o lle ge Female Athle te o f the Year
an d has been coachin g f or a little over h alf a decade, specif ically f or th e Win dsor Essex G ir ls Basketball team in O n tar io, Can ada where they went undef eated, obtain ing th e champion sh ip title. R izea believes her past exper ience is cr itical as she enter s h er new coachin g role an d believes it will play a big par t in how the new f all 2019 team will per f or m.