EL
PAISANO RIO HONDO COLLEGE NEWSPAPER est. 1964 Serving the Rio Hondo Community
Tuesday, April 25 2017
Volume 54 Issue 9
Protest at Whittier College
Writes of Spring
Inside Me
DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter lisa.garcia5612@my.riohondo.edu
Rio Hondo’s annual two day event, Writes of Spring, which celebrates writers and writings at the Wray Theater took place April 19 and 20. The free event featured Lissa Price, Gustavo Arellano, and Phranc on the 19, and Siel Ju, Bill Shaikin, and Jeff Garvin on the 20. Price, an author known primarily for her two novels, “Starters and Enders,” spoke at 8:05 a.m. Later Arellano, an editor for the newspaper the OC Weekly and author, spoke at 9:40 a.m. Phranc, a musician and artist, finished the group off and spoke at 11:15. Ju, a writer known for poetry chapbooks: “Feelings Are Chemicals in Transit” (Dancing Girl Press, 2014) and “Might Club” (Horse Less Press, 2014), spoke first. Shaikin, who worked at The Times since 1997 and has covered baseball in Southern California since 1889, spoke next. Garvin, an actor and now author of his debut
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Baseball Win 6-5
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NOAH GARCIA / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Whittier law school students march around the intersection, protesting against the lack of information and planning of their futurues. NOAH GARCIA PETE ESCOBAR Co-EIC / A & E Editor noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu pete.escobar2024@my.riohondo.edu
Dozens of Whittier Law School students protested Friday, April 21, over the Whittier College Board of Trustees’ decision to terminate the college’s law program at the end of the 2017 school year. Centered around the Administration building, disgruntled protesters marched on the corners of Painter and Philadelphia, shouting chants like “Give us answers,”
“Where is the money,” and “I’m more than just a test score.” Antonia Reyes, a second year student of the program and one of 400 current law students, voiced his concerns, the uncertainty of his fellow student’s education, and the lack of information on future plans from the board. “We just want answers, and they weren’t able to do that… we are all really emotionally distraught… we don’t know about the certainty of our career.” Kristina Edrington, President of the Student Bar Association, elaborated
on her frustration with the Board’s decision to shut the law school down, “they came to us with no information and no plan for what they’re gonna do to students who remain and who are not graduating this year. It’s been really frustrating and disheartening to see everything that’s been going on.” “We do have our finals around the corner and this is our last week of classes when they decided to tell us this information… Everything has just kind of been frustrating because the timing of this is short notice. The lack of
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Author Jeff Garvin: Art Hurts DIEGO CRESPO Reporter
diego.crespo7264@my.riohondo.edu
It takes a moment for our interview to start as fans filter in and out, wanting to stop by for a quick chat with Garvin. He mentions having a cold but you wouldn’t be able to tell given the extensive appreciation he shares with everyone coming to his table. On stage at Rio Hondo’s Wray Theater, Garvin strolls along engaging audiences with his analogies and personal experiences as a writer. Jeff Garvin is the type of artist whose excitement for his work is boisterous. There’s an infectious river of passion Jeff Garvin during the Q & A portion of his panel, pertaining to writing and dealing with self doubt.
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Student Spotlight
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The Last Jedi Trailer
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El Paisano Tuesday, April 24, 2017
NEWS
23 Year Old DACA Recipient Sues Trump Administration After Being Deported XAVIER ALATORRE Reporter
xavier.alatorre1457@my.riohondo.edu
Juan Manuel Montes, a 23-year-old DACA recipient, is suingtheTrumpAdministration following his deportation back in February. Montes was granted permission to stay in the United States under the Obama-era program that protects young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally from deportation. If his claim holds in court, Montes would be the first person with protected status under DACA to be deported under President Trump. Montes has been in the United States since he was nine years old. His lawyers filed a lawsuit
Tuesday, April 18 demanding information about why he was deported. Montes was deported Feb. 17 without explanation, according to his lawsuit. “I was forced out because I was nervous and didn’t know what to do or say, but my home is there,” Montes said in a statement. Under DACA, children who were brought to the country via illegal immigration are allowed to apply for deferred action against deportation. If approved, they remain under protected status for two years provided they act as “good citizens.” DACA status must be renewed every two years. Montes says he was approved for DACA in 2014 and
received a renewal in 2016. His status is protected until 2018, according to Montes’ lawyers. Montes’ troubles began when he visited a friend in Calexico, a border town in California. He was approached by a Border Patrol agent who asked for identification. Montes did not have ID with him, claiming he left it in a friend’s car. Montes was taken to a Border Patrol station where, he alleges, he was made to sign documents and not allowed to see an immigration judge or attorney. He was also not given copies of the documents he signed, the lawsuit states. In the middle of the night, he was taken to Mexicali, Mexico. “Juan Manuel was funneled across the border without so much as a piece of paper to
explain why or how,” Nora A. Preciado, a staff attorney at the immigration law center, said in a statement. “The government shouldn’t treat anyone this way — much less someone who has DACA. No one should have to file a lawsuit to find out what happened to them.” In a statement late Tuesday, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Montes was arrested after “illegally entering the U.S. by climbing over the fence in downtown Calexico.” Montes “admitted under oath during the arrest interview that he had entered illegally,” Ralph DeSio, the agency spokesman, said in the statement. However, the lawsuit contends that the fence-climbing
incident happened separately — days after Montes was initially deported by Border Patrol agents. DeSio also said Montes’ DACA status expired in August 2015, and that he had been convicted of theft, for which he received probation. Montes attorney Karen Tumlin said the border protection agency is incorrect and that federal documents show Montes’ DACA was due to expire in 2018. The lawsuit states that Montes has a single misdemeanor offense but that it doesn’t disqualify him from DACA.
Resource Fair Raises Domestic Abuse Awareness at Rio ANGELO TORRES Reporter
angelo.torres2983@my.riohondo.edu
As a part of Domestic Abuse Awareness month, Rio Hondo hosted a Resource Fair for several organizations that assist victims of Domestic Abuse in the Mid Quad, April 18 and 19. This event was also used to spotlight Rio Hondo’s own VIP (Violence Intervention Program), an organization on campus that assists students suffering from domestic abuse, by providing material and resources for organizations off-campus for further assistance. VIP was founded last summer with the assistance of Shaina Phillips, Director of Student Life and Leadership. Several student advocates received off-campus training, becoming state certified confidential advocates. Booth host and VIP advocate, Ruth Hernandez, spoke to students about the importance of making the information of Domestic Abuse Awareness accessible, and the promoted the young organization. “[We connect students] with other non-profit organizations… and if [we] have the actual resource, we can go ahead and give to [the student],” Hernandez said. “Potentially, in the future,
this program is going to get bigger. Hopefully by then our students are well aware that [they] do have support from our campus, that we do care, and if they are survivors of sexual assault, of violence, we’re here to support them.” One of those non-profit organizations is Project Sister Family Services, a non-profit organization that serves 26 cities and also assists victims of domestic abuse, and a collaborator with VIP, providing training for all current VIP advocates. Project Sister booth host Tyler Gutierrez explained that the organization, in addition to providing advocate training, provides a hotline for women suffering from domestic abuse and outreach services and events. “We do a 41-hour training every quarter basically, and we train our advocates on how to go out to forensics exams, like the rape kit exams. [We teach survivors] how to go out to court cases and police departments. When our survivors testify against their perpetrators, we’re there for emotional and moral support,” Gutierrez explained. “And we’re confidential and privileged, which means we can’t be subpoenaed by a judge or anything like that.” The next quarter of training
begins July 7. Students interested in becoming campus advocates can contact VIP for further details. Hernandez also noted that while VIP is still in it’s prime, the current advocates will not be able to continue its progression. VIP is currently looking for more student advocates to grow the program and keep momentum for the campus resource. “We’re going to pass it on the next set of advocates who are going to take it on and make it a bigger and more successful program,” Hernandez explained. One student interested by the proposition was Rocio Villarreal, a psychology major with interest in assisting domestic abuse victims. “I have a big interest in humanities and helping people. So I saw [VIP’s booth] and thought this would be a good way to help people,” “I think it opens up the issue a whole lot more in general. A lot of people are kind of hushhush about certain things, you know, especially when it comes to abuse and sex.” VIP will host a self-defense class April 26. Students can support the program by buying buttons in the Student Union and attending The Vagina Monologues May 4. All proceeds of the play will go to the program.
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NEWS
UCLA Finance Official Arrested for Embezzling DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter
danielle.anzures8473@my.riohondo.edu
A UCLA finance official was arrested earlier this month and charged with embezzling tens of thousands from City University of New York, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Between 2008 and 2012 Carmine Marino allegedly misappropriated $81,000 from a tuition account at the school and transferred it to two accounts that he had control over. Marino was released from jail a on $50,000 bail after making an appearance in court April 7. Marino’s lawyer, David Smith, had this to
say, “We are actively reviewing the charges and intend to vigorously defend against them.” Marino worked at the university from 2007 to May of 2012, and later he worked at the university’s City College. According to investigators, Marino was fired after the university discovered some of the transactions, but later withdrew his termination and allowed him to resign. “When misconduct was first discovered by CUNY, the university brought internal charges that resulted in Mr. Marino losing his position,” Vice Chancellor for Legal
Affairs Jane Sovern said in an email statement according to the Los Angeles Times. “When an additional improper account was discovered in an audit, the information was referred to law enforcement.” When Marino began working for UCLA he was earning $145,908 a year as a senior director of business and finance service, according to UCLA spokeswoman Kathryn Kranhold. The university was unaware of the previous allegations when they hired him. As of now, Marino is on paid leave as UCLA conducts an internal review of his time there, according to Kranhold.
A report in November from the New York state inspector general stated that systemic failures made it possible for the incident to happen. “This arrest involving federal fraud and embezzlement charges against a former top university official underscores CUNY’s lack of supervision and appropriate controls, which unfortunately has been a consistent theme in my investigation of the CUNY system,” New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott said in a statement.
Federal Authorities Knew About Hundreds of Wells Fargo WhistleBlowers
ZACKARY MEJIA Managing Editor
zackary.mejia1736@my.riohondo.edu
New revelations have surfaced in the Wells Fargo fake account debacle, and can be considered the most troubling since the scandal was first uncovered September of last year. A report released by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, an independent bank regulating bureau within the U.S Treasury, disclosed that the OCC was aware of 700 filed whistleblower complaints by Wells
Fargo employees since 2010. The federal bureau conceded to failing to see red flags that could have stopped the scandal years before it came to public light. The OCC did not investigate the hundreds of employee complaints in regards to the company’s sales tactics. A similar story was documented by the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit in November of last year. Using information provided by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety
Administration (OSHA), the Investigative Unit found that dozens of whistleblowers complaints may have brought the fake account issue to the attention of both the federal government and Wells Fargo in 2010. Yet the country’s third largest bank was not officially held accountable until it was fined by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Los Angeles City Attorney, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency September 8th.
Since the scandal became public, the company has been grilled by Congress, fired 5,300 employees, paid $185 million in government fines, and has stripped its CEO, Tim Sloan, and seven other executives of bonuses amounting to $32 million total. Wells Fargo former CEO, John Stumpf, stepped down from his position after testifying to Congress and allegations of deliberate negligence and the company retaliating against whistleblowers.
Fox Cuts the O’Reilly Factor over Sexual Harassment Claims
CORBIN BOONE Reporter
corbin.boone4051@my.riohondo.edu
Political commentator Bill O’Reilly has been assailed by a series of sexual harassment claims that have put him under investigation and led Fox News to end their contract with the show host. “After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the company, and Bill O’Reilly himself have agreed that Bill O’Reilly will not be returning,” Fox News said to the New York Times. The O’Reilly factor has been a highly rated show whose popularity grew even
after the sexual harassment allegations that were first made. Exactly 3.71 million more viewers started watching the show as of April 11, according to The Washington Post. Still, the show recently lost advertisers with more than 50 companies stepping away from the show including Advil, Jenny Craig, BMW, and Mercedes. Several women have spoken out about the harassment that O’Reilly has allegedly done for years behind the scenes of 21st Century Fox. One by the name of Perquita Burgess made an appearance
on The View April 20 stating that during her time as a temp, O’Reilly once called her “hot chocolate.” She elaborated saying, “He always walked past my desk and he made, like, a grunting noise.” This is not the first time Fox has had sexual harassment claims made. Correspondent Megyn Kelly reportedly made claims that Fox News chief Roger Ailes sexually harassed her. This report was made at the end of last year with more women continuing to expose harassment in the workplace. It has only been the latest report within the last couple
of months, as Ailes’ been dismissed also. The Murdoch family, who runs Fox News, is trying to create a better and more desirable image for the company. Payouts related to sexual harassment allegations can cost more than $85 million, while O’Reilly is reportedly receiving a payout from Fox News of up to $25 million. The financial terms of the exit package O’Reilly is receiving are not exact but the Fox company will provide them in the near future.
Donate to the Computer Science Club!
The Computer Science Club is traveling to Taiwan for a study abroad program with the opportunity to share American and Latino Culture to Taiwanese students in June 2017 . Students will sell Costco Pizza at the lower Quad to raise money every Tuesday and Thursday starting April 25th. Your donation will go towards providing our students with a once in a lifetime cultural exchange experience. For more information, go to https://www. gofundme.com/computer-science-club-studyabroad
RHC to Launch Rio Hondo College Promise with Free Tuition for First-Year Students Rio Hondo College Promise, a comprehensive student support program launching in 2017-2018 that includes one year’s free tuition and priority registration for 2017 graduates of all Whittier Union, El Monte Union and El Rancho Unified high schools and private schools within the college service area. The initiative will support first-year students with academic counseling and transfers to fouryear universities. Launch Event, 10 a.m., Wray Theater: College leaders will outline the Rio Hondo College Promise to 200 high school students from Whittier Union, El Monte Union and El Rancho Unified school districts.
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El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
NEWS
RHC Winning Streak: Speech and Debate Wins at National Tournament RUDOLFO PINEDO Guest Writer
rodolfo.juarezpinedo2776@my.riohondo.edu
A team of eight represented Rio Hondo college for a week at the national Phi Ro Pi tournament held in Washington D.C. The team went up against opponents from all around the nation. Melissa De Leon, Patricia Hughes, Jonathan Kaldas, Kevork Abechian, Rodolfo (Rudy) Antonio Juarez-Pinedo, Tyerra Boyd, Summer Gomez, and Saul Garcia were accompanied by their debate coach Grant Tovmasian as they left Saturday evening to prepare for the week long tournament held at The Sher-
aton Hotel. The Speech and Debate tournament consisted of numerous competitions ranging from dramatic interpretations, platform speeches, to various styles of debate. The team competed in IPDA Debate (International Public Debate Association), parliamentary debate, and NPDA Debate. After going up against numerous challenging contenders, the team ended the tournament strong bringing home 3 trophies (2 bronze, 1 silver) in IPDA Debate won by De Leon, Kaldas, and Hughes. “This win is not just for me, this is a win for Rio Hondo at the national level. Aside
from spending quality time with my team and friends we’ve made along the way, winning silver was a great way to end my experience in forensics” said De Leon who’s transferring from Rio Hondo at the end of this semester. “Nationals was an amazing experience to go against debaters from all over the country; the competition was really challenging but overall fun. What made it memorable was spending time with my teammates and coach. Whether we were competing or sight seeing I genuinely enjoyed spending time with them.” said Kaldas who was awarded bronze in IPDA Debate.
Elevated LeadLevels Poisoning Families in LA County XAVIER ALATORRE Reporter
xavier.alatorre1457@my.riohondo.edu
Across Los Angeles County, more than 15,000 children under 6 tested high for lead between 2011 and 2015, according to an investigation by Reuters. 323 neighborhoods were identified as having elevated levels of lead that were as high as the levels in Flint, Mich. The data gathered by Reuters reveals that lead poisoning across LA County affects affluent and poor neighborhoods. In San Marino, more than 17 percent of small children tested have shown elevated levels of lead in their blood, according to previously undisclosed L.A. County health data. That far exceeds the 5 percent rate of children who tested high for lead in Flint, Michigan, during the peak of that city’s water contamina-
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tion crisis. “This is a very serious matter, and as the mayor, I really want to further explore it,” San Marino Mayor Richard Sun said upon reviewing the numbers presented by Reuters. During an interview at City Hall, he directed city officials to investigate potential sources of exposure. Among the measures Mayor Sun wants to consider: An ordinance to ensure safe practices any time home repairs or renovations could disturb lead paint. Despite decades of U.S. progress in curbing lead poisoning, millions of children remain at risk. Flint’s disaster is just one example of a preventable public health crisis that continues in hotspots coast to coast, Reuters has found. Poverty is another predictor of lead poisoning,
and many of L.A.’s danger zones are concentrated in low-income or gentrifying areas near downtown and on the city’s densely populated South Side. In one low-income area of South L.A., Reuters met with the family of Kendra Nicole Rojas, a three-year-old recently diagnosed with lead poisoning, only to find that 63 other small children living within a six block radius have also tested high. “A lot of people don’t even think of the West Coast as a place where kids get poisoned,” said Linda Kite, executive director at L.A.-based Healthy Homes Collaborative. “The biggest problem we have is medical apathy. Many doctors don’t test children for lead.”
Salvation Army Hospitality House for Homeless Opens In Whittier LISA GARCIA Reporter
lisa.garcia5612@my.riohondo.edu
The previously closed Whittier Salvation Army hospitality house reopened two weeks ago as a women and children’s emergency shelter. Nine families received a chance to move into the hospitality house, as officials and long time community members looked on to what they referred to as a blessing. It was a result of community organization, battling homelessness coming together for a good cause. The Hospitality House was first shuttered in 2011 due to financial hardship following the 2008 recession. “In our first meeting in October of 2015, we knew we needed a place for families,” said Ted Knoll, the Whittier Consortium on Homelessness facilitator. The group made up of government, business, social service, and faithbased leaders met regularly to discuss homelessness in Whittier and the surrounding community, focusing on a safe place for the homeless families. “Today is all about concern, collaboration and celebrating, Mayor Joe Vinatieri said. The consortium worked
together with the Salvation Army and ‘The Whole Child’ which is a Whittier based organization that provides social services to children and families. The moms and their children want to stay in their community while trying to get back on their feet,”said Vanessa Sedano, Whole Child housing program manager. “This place allows them not to suffer the added trauma of not being in a place where they are without their support system.” Out of the “Whole Child’s” 200 homeless clients, 50 to 60 are from Whittier. At the Salvation Army Corps Officers Lts. Ryan and Jennifer Bearchell, who assist and minister at the Whittier location, helped settle families with a total of nine moms and 21 children. “Our goal is to provide support as the families work towards obtaining permanent housing, making the next step confidently,” said Bearchell. The families can stay at the emergency shelter, which has nine rooms with designated family sleeping rooms, and common areas like kitchens and dining rooms, for up to three months.
Correction: Anti-Abortionists Exert Their Right of Speech on Campus 4-11-17 VICTOR Lozano Reporter
victor.lozano2166@my.riohondo.edu
In the original story, the article read CBE instead of the correct acronym, CBR for The Center of Bio-Ethical Reform. The correction has updated.
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NEWS
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Whittier College Continued information, [and] the lack of a plan [has made it] really, really frustrating,” Edrington expressed. Ana Lilia Barazza, Director of Communications at Whittier College, helped clear some of this confusion up, specifying that “we are going to ensure that all currently enrolled law students at the law school can finish their legal degree.” Barraza explained the Board’s own reasoning behind the closing of the law school, saying “We’ve had lower enrollment, but in addition, the Board has had concerns about low baller passage rate as well as employment outcomes for the law school… this was the final decision that they felt that they had to make for the law school.” In 2010 enrollment had gone from 700 attendees to less than 450, with a 69 percent bar passing rate in 2012, according to nationaljurist. com. Signs of the program’s
end began from the sale of the Costa Mesa college campus for $35 million, with $14 million being promised to be used to support the the law school. By April 19, any plans to save the program had failed, with a nearly unanimous vote to close the law school. The school is not going to accept any incoming law students and are working on plans to continue the education of those already enrolled. The logistics of the plan for currently enrolled students hasn’t been worked out yet. “We will be letting students know, as they are, over the next 30-60 days,” Barraza said about any future information in regards to the planning process. Whittier College is the first American Bar Association approved school to be closed, the future of the program being as ambiguous as the plans for its’ continuing students.
Worldwide: March for Science DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter
danielle.anzures8473@my.riohondo.edu
Thousands of scientist and supporters gathered in Downtown LA April 22 to take part in one of the 600 protests that took place on Earth Day going on around the world according to the Los Angeles Times. The March for Science Los Angeles goal was to “defend the vital role science plays in our health, safety, economies, and governments,” in the words of the organizers. While the main event took place at the National Mall in Washington, there were more than 40 demonstrations going on just in California. Dr. Diane Brown, a rheumatologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and marcher carried a sign that read, “My patients need science because lupus is not cured, juvenile arthritis is not cured … CANCER is not cured!” Brown said her sign was especially significant to her since two of her patients, one 8 years-old and the other just 4, were diagnosed with cancer last week. “I have a PhD, I did my time in the lab and I know how hard it is to get the information for each line in a published study,” she said. “That takes hours, months or years, and if we don’t fund it, people will leave labs, and they may never come back.” While event leaders said their event was not in support
of certain parties, it did seem the event had an anti-Trump feel to it according to Los Angeles Time. “Not since Galileo was condemned by the Inquisition have science-deniers had such powerful friends,” said Representative Brad Sherman, D-Porter Ranch, before the march began at Pershing Square. Tom Steyer, president of the environmental advocacy organization NextGen Climate, was even more blunt saying, “There is a force coming out of Washington, D.C., called the Trumpadministrationthatisout to deny truth and bury science. ”The Trump Administration has been known to be unfavorable to the science community, just 100 days into the administration there have been proposals for budget cuts in National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency. There also been topadministrationofficialswho have been opened about with their doubt that climate change is caused by human activity. The march began at 11 a.m. at Pershing Square where protesters walked seven blocks from to City Hall. Across from City Hall two dozen Trump supporters gathered in front of L.A. Police Department headquarters to show their support for the president. There were no major altercations or arrests according to police and the groups were mainly peaceful.
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
North American League Of Legends Championship Series Finals
DANNY CELIZ/REPORTER
Team Solo Mid and Cloud 9 meet in the finals of the North American League of Legends Championship Series on April 23 in the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ANDREW RUDIN Science and Technology Editor
andrew.rudin5784@my.riohondo.edu
League of Legends has ended their North American Championship Series in Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum in British Columbia, Canada. Sunday April 23 is a day many LoL fans will remember as the two finalists, Team Solo Mid and Cloud 9, face off in an epic five game series. Before we talk about the match, we must setup the context for what led these two teams into the finals. We will start with Cloud 9. This team came into the spring split with a rookie jungler in Contractz who has proven himself time and again throughout the split. Some criticize his success in that he has joined the second best team in NA where he doesn’t have to stress over carrying the rest of the team. Veterans like Jensen, Impact, Sneaky, Smoothie, and Ray to some degree have strengths during the early laning phase that give Contractz the freedom to prove himself. This does not undermine what he has accomplished, as he has earned the title NA LCS Outstanding Rookie for the spring split. However, the rest of the team can not be ignored
as Jensen, the second best Mid laner of NA, dominates map pressure as well as his own lane opponents. Jensen spends every split fighting for the number one spot over Bjergson, his rival from TSM. His map play in particular has shown that he is capable of roaming to other lanes and provide kill pressure for the rest of his team. It is this strength that has given C9 a better game score versus TSM even though TSM has a better match score. The rest of the team plays consistently, not falling behind in lane and setting up plays for Contractz and Jensen when necessary. Together C9 transition their early game leads to decisive victories. Now let’s talk about Team Solo Mid. TSM is the most accomplished team in NA LCS history as they have made nine consecutive NA LCS finals in a row. The one constant throughout all of these finals is Bjergson. This Danish native was imported into TSM in November 2013 and hasn’t looked back. He has consistently dominated the mid lane and holds the title for best mid laner. In this iteration of TSM, Bjergson has once again lead TSM to a top finish in the
regular season and into the finals. His strengths lie in his understanding of his limits in game. He is able to push that fine line to take edges time and again, making him very entertaining to watch. The team, however, is moreso known for their mid and late game teamfights. TSM is known for their coordination with each other in these 5v5 brawls. Even with the many roster changes the organization has gone through, this aspect of the team remains intact. The only change this split is in the Attack Damage Carry position with Wildturtle replacing Doublelift. However, Wildturtle has been in the lineup before and knows very well what being a TSM member means. Because TSM prefers to stall out games, many teams in the regular split take advantage of this and try to take early leads against them. This has led to a curse within the organization to lose the first game of a best of three match. In spite of this, TSM
is still able to end the regular season in first place and empower themselves in playoffs. Finally we get into playoffs where the ultimate winner was decided. The competition this season was no challenge for either team, as both made it to the finals with relative ease. However, Cloud 9 was considered to be the underdogs because TSM has a history of going into overdrive during playoffs. No matter how TSM performed in the regular season, they go full force during playoffs allowing them to consecutively make it into the finals nine times in a row. They showcased this during the first two games, as they beat Cloud 9 with insane mechanical plays. Cloud 9 had great opportunities to make plays against TSM, but were simply outplayed by the likes of Hauntzer and Wildturtle. Moving on to the next two games, however, Cloud 9 was able to pull the competition back as their early plays finally succeed. They use this
to snowball the game in their favor and draw the competition out to game five. This final match was truly one to remember as both teams constantly battle for control. If one team made a play early, the other makes a play in return. As one team maneuvers to secure an objective, one is lost to the other. A true tug of war revolved around the whole map until it reached mid and late game where neither team had an edge and both are on edge. However, Cloud 9 was able to take a lead and buff themselves before looking to close out the game. It looked grim for TSM, but this is where they shined as they are able to find a final teamfight in their favor against all odds, killing every member of C9, even in their empowered state. Team Solo mid won the NA LCS spring split, and advance to the Mid Season Invitationals where they will face off against other champions from around the globe.
His strengths lie in his understanding of his limits in game. He is able to push that fine line to take edges time and again, making him very entertaining to watch.
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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First Photograph Of A Black Hole
PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM
The Event Horizon Telescope, housed in MIT, was used over the course the past couple of weeks in order to capture many pictures of the super massive black hole residing in the center of our galaxy. This is one of the images that has been illustrated by artists from MIT. JACOBO GARRIDO Reporter
jacobo.garrido9991@my.riohondo.edu
For the first time in history, astronauts have taken photographs of a supermassive black hole (SMBH)
as well as its surrounding region. With little research acquired throughout the years, much of the study on these SMBHs is limited to inaccurate methods. In attempts to further
our space exploration, a crew of international astronauts from four different continents around the world photographed a black hole in its entirety for the first time, capturing the center as well
as the surrounding areas on Wednesday April 12th. The photograph reveals how much is still unknown about these SMBHs. For example, the surrounding area is called the event center
as it can produce energy in addition to consume matter making them very powerful. The photograph was captured using the Event Horizon Telescope, which is the combination of multiple telescopes spanning across four continents. Each telescope is used as a reflective beam or mirror which allows us to photograph from 25,000 light years away. Scientists are trying to obtain more research on the surrounding areas as it is highly reactive to matter and energy. The benefit in having multiple telescopes is that every station is studying the same SMBH, but getting multiple vantage points on one of the most strangest things in the galaxy. With over 500 terabytes of data yet to be examined, it was necessary to send the information to MIT Haystack Observatory in Massachusetts where supercomputers will turn the data into photographs.
More Than 8 Million Adults Have Mental Health Issues DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter
danielle.anzures8473@my.riohondo.edu
More than 8 million adults, around 3.4 percent of the population in the US, have mental health issues and are 10 times more likely to struggle to pay for health care service. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, conducted their annual national health survey where respondents were asked how often they felt certain emotions, like feeling as though everything they did was
useless or being so sad that nothing could cheer them up. The occurrence of those feelings gave the CDC an indication of whether someone was in serious psychological distress, also known as SPD. An SPD score is connected with mental health issues like depression and anxiety, it’s also found to be linked with chronic disease, lower socioeconomic status, smoking, drinking and a reduced life span. Judith Weissman, an epidemiologist at the NYU Langone Medical Center,
studied that data from the survey of the 200,000 respondents between 2006 to 2014 and found that SPD was more prevalent in women than in men, in middle-aged adults versus younger adults, and in Hispanic and black people versus white people. Weissman also found that with SPD rates going up, access to mental health care was falling. Weissman said that the recession that happened between 2007 and 2009 may have caused the increase in mental illness and the financial consequences would have
made it more hard on those who needed health care the most. While mental health service increased between 2006 and 2014, it also became more difficult to attain for people who needed it. “People who had mental illness just could not recover. Maybe they were holding it together, they had a job, they had some resources, and then they got wiped out with this recession and they couldn’t get back on their feet,” said Weissman in an article from the New Scientist. “There is this generation
of middle aged adults that are really suffering right now and if policies change, if we increase access to mental health care and we increase coverage for mental health care, we can save the next generation.”
Target Goes Full Nintendo LUIS GUTIERREZ Reporter
luis.gutierrez0200@my.riohondo.edu
Are you a fan of Mario Kart? Are you an avid shopper of Target? Well do I got some news for you! Target has just announced they will be turning over 650 stores across the US into a giant mario race track. The reasoning behind this awesome idea, is to help promote Mario Kart 8 Deluxe which will be out for the Switch April 28th. They’re going to be calling the carts “Super Target Karts” and they’re going to have a Mario, Luigi, and Peach.
Sorry for those Donkey Kong and Bowser fans. The minute a shopper walks in they will be greeted by flashing lights and the Super Mario Bros theme song, as they walk by the start line in the store. If you’re not interested in racing across the store, you can go outside and see how the big red balls change. Much like when Pokemon Go was a hit with the giant poke balls outside, they will be turning them into Mario and Luigi heads. Now before you get all excited, like all good things it won’t last. This wonderful thing is only going to be at
Targets with a supermarket, so keep your eyes out! This is going to be around for a few weeks so hopefully the kids or adults won’t cause that much mayhem around the store. So Target employees can rest a little. If you have no interest in any of this, stay out of the market department. Or you’ll get hit by a red shell!
LUIS GUTIERREZ/REPORTER
Target and Nintendo team up to create a themed race track at participating stores. Targets have been in production since April 13.
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SCIENCE & TECH
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
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LIFESTYLES
Student Spotlight: Crystian Mendoza NICOLE GARCIA Reporter
nicole.garcia4920@my.riohondo.edu
Hardwork and determination will get you where you want to go, it just does not come overnight or through some sort of magic. This is why current Sports Editor of El Paisano Newspaper, Crystian Mendoza, 24, holds these two traits to heart. Mendoza ends his journey at Rio Hondo this spring, a journey that began back in Fall. He will be graduating with an AA in Journalism and an AA in Print Media. The 24 year-old will be transferring to the University of La Verne in Fall 17’ and furthering his education in any Journalistic or Print Media opportunities that may come his way. “I have switched my major a of couple times before - criminal justice and fire tech - reassuring myself that journalism was the right fit,” Mendoza said. “I also have an interest in broadcasting like for sports productions or TV productions too, and hopefully can take classes at La Verne for that.” In Fall 15’ Crystian took newspaper production I and ended up getting an offer to become sports editor. With a lot of consideration and liking
AARON MARTINEZ/PHOTO EDITOR Rio Hondo student Crystian Mendoza outside El Paisano newsroom talking about transferring and his career in Rio Hondo college.
the art of writing, he ended up applying and just going day by day bettering himself as a writer and journalist. “John Francis was my advisor when I started out, and as an editor I was very nervous and had no clue what to do. I had to learn Q.U.A.R.K layout and be prepare with just printouts,” Mendoza said. “With Wendy as my advisor I feel more confident not just because I had a little bit knowledge of the newspaper, but of the feedback Carerra would give to us. Whether it was support or criticism, it made not just me but others better future journalist.” Crystian describes himself as a quiet, mellow, observant type dude and on his free time he like to relax and just be lazy since free time is not given for the full time student and worker. “What I [aspire] to be is just like or somewhat like American journalist Edward Snowden. I feel like Journalism is getting out information” the 24-year-old said. With a month still ahead to go, graduation around the corner, and supportive people behind him, we wish Crystian Mendoza and hope to see him soon on the TV screen.
“I have switched my major a of couple times before - criminal justice and fire tech - reassuring myself that journalism was the right fit” -Crystian Mendoza
Spotlight: Broadcast News
COURTESY OF HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/USER/ERICMUNOZREPORTER Rio Hondo student Eric Muñoz covering the MUSD corruption in Montebello, regarding the money loss and the city and teachers getting pink slipped. ASHLEY LOPEZ REPORTER ashley.lopez3511@my.riohondo.edu
The number one quality to have in any demanding career field is experience. A career in broadcast is no exception, which is why it is important to start now. The Rio Hondo broadcast program makes it possible to gain experience before moving on to the next step. Students who intend on pursuing a career in radio and television are encouraged to join Rio Hondo broadcast program by joining Journal-
ism Communication Public Relations (JCPR) and enroll in JOURN 147 Broadcast News. The program is designed to allow students to practice the craft of broadcast and gain crucial skill sets that they are expected to know when they transfer. Students enrolled in the broadcast news class are automatically members of JCPR. The club compliments the broadcast news class offered at Rio Hondo throughout the semester. A podcast option is also available. “Since I joined broad-
cast I’ve learned a great deal, mostly video production, how to conduct interviews, and how to keep calm under pressure,” says Eric Muñoz, director of El Paisano News. Each student gets assigned to write, research, conduct interviews, produce, and edit their footage. The class is instructed by Professor Wendy Carerra, who has years of experience in broadcast. “The goal is to have a TV station to produce a weekly show,” said Carerra. The Rio Hondo broadcast program started as a small
club with only a few students, then worked its way to an actual classroom. The student produced broadcasts are primarily school related but often ventures out to local news, crime, and world news. “This small passion project was started by Wendy and I has really evolved into a well-oiled machine. It’s still a young project, and still working the kinks out. But having someone like Professor Wendy around, whose journalism background focused a great deal on broadcast news. I know the sky’s the limit,” says Eric Muñoz. Valuable experience is gained by running projects and working as a team to generate the best results. Students enrolled in this program feel like the class has helped them evolve and grow confidence. The class will continue into Fall 2017 semester. “My experience with broadcasting has been truly a growing experience in all of the best ways. It was never easy because I have never been guy that is comfortable in front of the camera and it forced me countless times out of my comfort zone. My ability to have discussion, discourse, has tremendously
improved,” says Jake Laurell, who is currently enrolled in broadcast.
“Since I joined broadcast I’ve learned a great deal, mostly video production, how to conduct interviews, and how to keep calm under pressure,” -Eric Muñoz
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El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
LIFESTYLES
Jeff Garvin: Art Hurts Continued
ALEX RODRIGUEZ/PHOTOGRAPHER
Author Jeff Garvin speaks about his obstacles to becoming a book writer Thursday, April 20, at the Wray Theatre. DIEGO CRESPO Editor-in Chief diego.crespo7264@my.riohondo.edu
...flowing from his language both spoken and physical. Garvin comes across a man who has a life of experience. Not only in his career hopping adventures from actor to musician to salesman, but in his ability to empathize with experiences. He caters a remarkable ability to relate on a personal level. His first published book, “Symptoms of Being Human” is a coming-of-age story of a gender fluid teen named Riley. It’s a story of identity as the young Riley finds their way through life in entering a new school, dealing with a conservative congressman father, and under pressure from the media as their anonymous blog goes viral. “I think everything I ever write will be tied to the idea of identity. Not necessarily my gender identity but my creative identity has changed over time. You become apparent and that changes your identity. You graduate from college and you’re not a college student anymore. To the extent that your identity or your personality is malleable causes all sorts of interesting problems and solutions in your life. If you’re too rigid you’re going to face a lot of resistance and a lot of frustrations just trying to move on in your life, right? But if your identity is too fluid then people won’t be able to relate to you or know who you are or how to categorize you. Identity fascinates me because it’s completely constructed and yet…” Garvin struggles to remember the name of the doctors who conducted neurological studies. “If you look at the neurology… [Scientists] were MRI scanning people’s
brains while talking to them about their political opinions. And when their political opinions were challenged the same part of their brain lit up as if a lion was trying to eat their arm. So your brain physically recognizes these things as part of yourself, which is why people become irate and unreasonable especially in the realm of politics. The politics and neurology of identity fascinate me.” Garvin goes on to explain his educational foundation and how it can be necessary and optional. “I didn’t want to go to college I just wanted to be an actor. I thought it would delay. I sat down with a mentor and they told me I didn’t have to study. I don’t know if [college] is important. If you’re good at school that just means you’re good at school. It doesn’t necessarily reflect how successful you’re going to be. But there’s something about committing yourself to a course of study over a long period of time by choice. I think that has value. Even if you don’t do anything close to what you majored in, I think going to school has value. Free public, higher education… we have to continue to provide that. Think of the experience we just had these teachers who love books create this thing out of the blue and 15 years later there’s 200 kids in there having an experience because they chose to go to college. Those kinds of experiences aren’t available to you unless you opt in.” said Garvin. Garvin’s writing endeavors began with NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month), a yearly event for writers in November to get together and form a community in writing their book. As Garvin finished his first
book, he goes on to explain, candidly, “It sucked.” before going into detail about the second book which only “sucked about 70%” realizing if he can eyeball quality in the 30% then he could learn what obstacles to avoid as he wrote on. But as Garvin elaborates, the self-doubt never truly goes away. “I think, creative doubt is just one form of a person confronting themselves. In that sense, every character in every book, if they change during the course of that book, if they have an arc, they have to confront something about themselves that’s not working and change it. Or abandon it. And I find that’s
true in writing as well. When you get edits back and you’re writing a second draft, if you could have written a better book, you would have. So you have to become better.” said Garvin. In looking to the future, Garvin ponders about writing adventures outside of the world of novels and his next book. “It’s a contemporary ya and part of it takes place in Park Hills, which is the fictional town that ‘Symptoms’ takes place in.” says Garvin of his next story. Garvin looks optimistic toward the future of a broader writing career, though his one true love is books. “I love
movies. That’s what I studied when I went to film school. My dad always told me I was a storyteller whether I’m writing books or scripts. Whatever form it takes, I’m going to be a storyteller for the rest of my life. Right now, the career path for it is very clear. It’s very difficult to earn a living being an artist of any kind. The position that I’m at is I had a book that’s had x amount of success and it’s provided an opportunity to do the next book and the next book. I’m going to ride that train for a while. I need to get good at riding books, the book that’s going to come out next year is my fifth manuscript and that’s not a lot. I need to get good at this and I’m enjoying it. I think for the foreseeable future it’s going to be books. Definitely at some point I would not be surprised if it branches out into movies.” said Garvin. “I would love to write a musical. I was in musicals as a kid so the ones that grab me are the classics like ‘Annie’ ‘Sound of Music’ but I also love Leslie Bricusse, who wrote ‘Scrooge.’ He also wrote music for ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ I love his stuff. I’m going to see ‘Hamilton’ in a couple months, which I’m very excited about, and Lin Manuel Miranda wrote [the music for] ‘Moana.’ This is a great age for musicals. Pop music and Broadway are merging in a big way that’s exciting for me.”
“I think everything I ever write will be tied to the idea of identity Not necessarily my gender identity but my creative identity.” -Jeff Garvin
ALEX RODRIGUEZ/PHOTOGRAPHER
Author Jeff Garvin answering Q&A Thursday April, 20, infront of audience inside the Wray Theatre.
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Writes of Spring JONATHAN MEZA/PHOTOGRAPHER WRAY THEATER, APRIL 20 - National baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times, Bill Shaikin, spoke about his experiences at the Times to a packed Wray Theater for Writes of Spring Thursday. After his panel, Shaikin networked with the same students he inspired inside the Theater’s lobby.
novel: “Symptoms of Being Human,” spoke last. As the speakers began, it was phenomenal to see how they each connected to the students in their own way. Arellano started out with a short introduction on who he was and then started at the beginning, talking about his parents’ lives and how they each got to America. Some of the students could see the parallels of their parents’ immigration stories and Arellano recognizes that his story is not a unique one and how it can resonate with a majority of people. Arellano brought up how he went from wanting to work in film to starting his career as a journalist on the OC Weekly. He talked about how his involvement with the newspaper began; he jokingly sent a fake letter to the editor which landed him a shot writing for the newspaper. He says he likes being able to help people and expose bad guys with his writing. Along with his investigation work, he also ran
a joke column called “¡Ask a Mexican!,” which became a hit and was later turned into a book. Since then, Arellano has worked on two other books and a cartoon show that ran for a one season. Some advice Arrellano gave was to not be afraid. Arellano said that he is actually a shy person, but if he let that get in the way he would not have had the chance to do all the things he has gotten to do, and if you do fail just get back up and throw yourself back in. Phranc, who introduced herself as “the All-American Jewish Lesbian Folksinger,” talked about growing up in a household that wanted a more traditional lifestyle for her and how she rejected it, and went off to live her own life full of music and art. She started out learning how to write songs at The Feminist Studio Workshop at the Woman’s Building in Los Angeles, and later moved to San Francisco where she joined the punk scene. Phranc said she was “an-
“[There are] students who are moved and changed by what they see,” -Tom Callinan,
English Professor
gry and I wanted to be in a band.” She later got her wish when she was approached by a band called Nervous Gender to join them. As time went on, Phranc noticed people wearing armbands with the swastika on them, this led her to write an acoustic guitar song called “Take Off Your Swastika.” For her, singing with acoustic music was necessary so people would hear the words. After that Phranc went solo and made her first album, and later she made four more, that made it possible for her tour with other bands like The Smiths and Morrissey. She believes that great art gets made by doing it yourself. When her brother died, Phranc went back to visual art because she couldn’t stand to be in front of people. Her art was and still is done with cardboard, paint, paper, glue sticks, and a sewing machine. Her advice to young artist is to always be prepared and have your portfolio ready. Many of the students found the event to be an
Want us to cover something A&E related? Want your artwork featured? Have ideas for a story? Contact: pete.escobar2024@my.riohondo.edu Don’t hesitate to reach out!
interesting experience that taught them about people in career fields that interest them. “It was inspiring to hear about his life and career and how far he’s come,” said Rio Hondo student, Nickomi Martinez about Arellano. “She gave me the courage to go after my dreams, to not be afraid. That’s what she showed me” said Denise Toscano about Phranc after her part in the event. This response is common for the event as many of the students come up afterwards to the tables in front to say how glad they are to get the chance to see these writers and other creators talk, according to Tom Callinan, one of the main coordinators for the event. “[There are] students who are moved and changed by what they see,” Callinan said, also adding that many speakers will still have students contact them about their speeches at the event. The event and the speakers tend to leave an impression on students that sticks for a long time.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Episode 8 teaser review
: ‘Light, darkness, balance,”
NOAH GARCIA get its fans ready for the actuEditor-In-Chief al trailer. So in that aspect, it noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu
When watching at a trailer, you have to learn how to curb your own excitement about the property and take a more balanced look at it. So when examining the new “Star Wars” trailer, something needs to be said; it’s not that exciting. When comparing it to other trailers that have been playing recently, it doesn’t create the type of frenzied hype it could have. But at the same time that’s not what the teaser trailer is supposed to do. It is suppose to be a tease, giving the audience just a little bit of visuals to
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
worked incredibly well. The music was especially well received. The slow methodical “Star Wars” theme was played during the entire teaser. The few scenes we did get were interesting enough, and didn’t give away anything too vital to the film. Rian Johnson, the director of “The Last Jedi,” is a filmmaker who takes his time, and the trailer shows that. Some of the concepts he’s worked with in the past, i.e. Looper and Brick, are very intricate and complex. But no matter what concept he works with, he always takes his time to tell a story. Although, I am quite worried about how the story is going to progress because
there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. Hopefully the expected slower pace of this movie will use its time well to answer all of the questions while having a well balanced and sophisticated film. Whereas “The Force Awakens” was more of a non-stop action thriller that re-integrates you back into the “Star Wars” universe, Episode VIII looks like it’s going to be a slow, rich delve into the characters, story, and concepts. Of course, it’s too early to make any judgement calls about the film and its retrospective effects on the brand of Star Wars. But what can be said is that the marketing of Episode VIII is off to a slow but interesting start.
Episode VIII looks like it’s going to be a slow, rich delve into the characters, story, and concepts.
PHOTO COURTESY OF IGN.com
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
OPINION
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Should the President be Presented as Infallible? JENNIFER ESPANA Reporter lisa.garcia5612@my.riohondo.edu
It’s always best to know what’s actually going on in our country, especially when it’s got to do with a neighboring country. At times even I get freaked out by the certain things the media shares with us but, they’re the ones who are brave enough to tell us what’s actually going on. I want my president to tell me if I should be worried about certain things. Should I fear that there might be a war on the horizon? I want to be prepared for anything that may be coming our way not only for my sake but for my family and fellow Americans. World leaders fail to ac-
knowledge the biggest matter at hand, climate change. They constantly lie to public about it ever existing. Why lie about something so obvious all we ask is for the truth is that too much to ask for? I sat down with an eleven year old to see things from a young boy’s perspective, I asked what he thought on this situation “He should be honest because if they don’t the whole world won’t like him, I wanna know what’s happening”. He does have a point, but I know those in higher power decide not to release certain information to the public. You’ve been elected by the people as a civil duty do we not deserve the whole truth?
Recognize your special Graduate! Congratulations Sandra! “What lies behind us, and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” Sample 4x3 space Please send portrait photos.
*Submit photo with name of graduate and message by May 8. *Submit to el.paisano.photos@gmail.com *Special message only $10 *Special message + Photo $15 *For additional info or any questions call El Paisano (562)692-0921
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El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
OPINION
El Paisano Newspaper Editor-in-Chief DIEGO CRESPO NOAH GARCIA
A&E Editor
PETE ESCOBAR
Managing Editor ZACKARY MEJIA
News Editor
JAKE LAURELL
Sports Editor
CRYSTIAN MENDOZA
Opinion Editor NOAH GARCIA
Lifestyle Editor EILEEN GAETA
Science & Tech Editor ANDREW RUDIN
Photo Editor
AARON MARTINEZ
Copy Editors
DIANA JUAREZ VANESSA LUNA BLANCA MARTIN MIA PEREZ
Ads Manager
SANDRA REYES
Advisor
WENDY CARRERA
Student Speakout Can weed deeply impact ones life? Why, why not.
Reporters
DANIELLE ANZURES CORBIN BOONE DANIEL CAMPOS MANUEL CARDENAS DANNY CELIZ JENNIFER ESPAÑA JUAN FERNANDEZ DULCE FLORES LISA GARCIA NICOLE GARCIA JACOBO GARRIDO JAKE LAURELL ASHLEY LOPEZ MALENA LOPEZ VICTOR LOZANO BLANCA MARTIN JONATHAN MEZA ALEX RODRIGUEZ CARLOS SANCHEZ ANGELO TORRES KELSEY VILLALVAZO
BY: Jennifer Espana Lisa Garcia
I think weed can impact ones life because they could be going
through something.
I would say yeah because it’s about a person’s intake in it, so there’s some people that I know that smoke it
they’re pretty normal and you can’t tell and some you can totally tell. It all depends on how much control
they have on it.
I believe weed can impact people’s life in different ways. I, myself do not believe that smoking weed is a good
thing but for others everybody has their different opinions. Medically wise it does help people with stress or when
they’re hurting but to just do it, it’s like smoking a cigarette it’s useless.
Ana Espinoza
Jonathan Chan
3600 Workman Mill Rd. Whittier CA 90601 (562) 692-0921 EXT. 3345
Edwin Rendon
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
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SPORTS
Rachel Bustillos signs National Letter of Intent to Bethel College: Will continue playing Indoor Volleyball in Kansas Paula Alferez and Carleigh Cruz commit to Hope International University CRYSTIAN MENDOZA Sports Editor
crystian.mendoza8414@my.riohondo.edu
Rachel Bustillos, twoyear sophomore indoor and beach volleyball player for Rio Hondo College, signed her National Letter of Intent April 17 and will be transferring to Bethel College in Kansas in the Fall of 2017 where she will continue playing indoor volleyball at the next level. Alongside Bustillos, teammates Carleigh Cruz and Paula Alferez both committed to Hope International University in Fullerton. Bustillos began playing indoor volleyball for Rio Hondo in 2015 and then began playing beach volleyball for Rio as soon as the program was implemented. When asked how she feels in regards to continuing her academic and athletic career at the next level, she stated, “I’m excited and anxious to see how everything is going to go and where I can end up.” When asked what she will miss the most about Rio Hondo, Bustillos said, “The overall program here was a good one, we had a great coaching staff and an awesome team. I had a great time here at Rio and I’m going to miss everyone here.” Bustillos will be going to Bethel with the goal of getting a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and is currently undecided on her specific career choice and will need
to narrow her decision down due to the large umbrella that social work has. While Bustillos heads for the East Coast in the Fall, Alferez and Cruz both formally committed to going to Hope International University in Fullerton in the Fall of 2017 as well. Alferez will be play-
When asked if she is ready for the next level of volleyball, Alferez said “Yes, I think that I am. I mean, two-years of prepping here at Rio, I feel pretty good so I think I’m prepared for that next step of the collegiate level.” Finally, Cruz, who also
“I’m just so proud of her and I couldn’t ask for more, she’s really shown me that she wants this and she’s done her homework as far as putting the steps in order to get where she needs to go, and she’s done it. She’s just an awesome kid, I couldn’t be a more blessed mom.” -Arciniega, mother of Bustillos
ing beach volleyball for Hope International, and she is the first athlete in the newly implemented beach volleyball program at Rio Hondo to get recruited to the university level. “It’s a pretty big accomplishment, considering that me and my partner were also the first team to make it to the state championships for Rio as well, and it kind of just kicked off our career from there. I’m really proud of me and my partner” said Alferez regarding her feelings about committing to Hope International University.
I’m going to miss my coach, the team, and a lot of the professors here that were very helpful in furthering my education.” -Alferez
VICTOR LOZANO / REPORTER
April 17- Rio Hondo Colleges’ Beach Volleyball team gathers together to celebrate their teammates accomplishments as they look to continue their academic and athletic carrers.
VICTOR LOZANO / REPORTER
April 17- From left to right, Head Coach Teddi Esko, Paula Alferez, Rachel Bustillos, Carleigh Cruz and Assistant Coach Anthon Salang are all smiles as Bustillos signed her national letter of intent to play for Bethel College as well as two commitments to Hope International. committed to Hope international University, will be playing both indoor and beach volleyball in Fullerton next Fall. “Yes, I’m ready for the next level. I love competition, and I’m very self-motivated. I love learning new techniques and I’m ready to compete at a four year university” said Cruz, full of excitement as she is completely ready to continue her academic and athletic career. When asking head coach Teddi Esko how she feels in regards to receiving her first beach volleyball transfers, she said “I’m elated. It was really exciting to have the opportunity to start the beach volleyball program here just in general, and to make history for Rio Hondo starting a new sport, it’s just exciting stuff.” The beach volleyball program took some years to develop at Rio Hondo, and the program is still very new here with it only being the second season Rio Hondo has participated competitively against other colleges in the area. With three of her players on track to continue their athletic and academic careers, Esko hopes more and more incoming students choose to come to Rio Hondo. With two of her players committing to a local university, Esko said she plans on going to Hope International to see Cruz and Alferez play, but can still watch Bustillos games on the internet via livestream as well. With the volleyball program continuing to grow at Rio Hondo, and with these
“The signing days are one of our highlights with our program, it just shows all the hard work the girls have done here in the classroom and on the court is paying off. They’re going to get that degree in hand within the next couple of years and that’s what it’s all about, that’s why you go to college; to get a degree.” -Esko transfers, Esko believes the program will only expand from here and hopes that more incoming students are convinced to come to Rio Hondo to play for their program.
“I’m definitely going to miss the coaching staff that I got to work with for the past two years. They have taught me so much, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. Also, my teammates that turned into best friends. I wish them the best of luck with their future endeavors.” -Cruz
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El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
SPORTS
Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez found dead in Prison Cell RAMON ALVARADO Reporter
ramon.alvarado7328@my.riohondo.edu
The once tight-end for the New England Patriots, Aaron Hernandez, committed suicide early Wednesday morning, according to the Department of Correction. A statement from the department said the former Patriot was found hanging by a “bedsheet that he attached to his cell window” at approximately 3:05 am at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts. Hernandez was transported to the UMass Leominster hospital and was pronounced dead at 4:07 am, according to the statement. Christopher Fallon, spokesman for the Department of Correction, said there was no indication that he was considering hurting
himself so he was not on suicide watch. “If he had made any kind of statement,” Fallon said “he would have not been in that unit.” Fallon also told the Associated Press that investigators are searching the unit to see if Hernandez possibly left a suicide note. Just five days ago Hernandez was acquitted of murdering two men in 2012. He was still serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for another murder that happened in 2013, however. The terrible news comes on the day Hernandez’s former team, the New England Patriots, are set to visit the White House for winning the Super Bowl. Whether the heartbreak of seeing his old team continue succeed factored in or not is a question
that’ll remain. Hernandez had signed a five-year, $40 million contract in 2012. He was only able to play one season be-
fore his world started falling apart. Drafted at 22, multimillionaire at 23, convicted of murder at 25, gone at 27.
As ESPN NFL analyst Adam Schefter put it: “From beginning to end, this was a tragedy.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF BLEACHERREPORT.COM
Aaron Hernandez, former tight-end for the New England Patriots, was found dead in his prison cell after committing suicide April 19.
Lady Roadrunners softball
Late game heroics at The Jungle team fall out 16-5 against as Roadrunners’ baseball team Mt. SAC in last home beat El Camino after nine innings game of the season
VICTOR LOZANO Reporter
victor.lozano2166@my.riohondo.edu
With a well-balanced game played by Mount San Antonio College, the Rio Hondo College softball team could not keep up with the best team in the South Coast Conference, losing by a score of 16-5 in five innings in their final home game. After winning their last two of three games, the Lady Roadrunners’ looked to get another chance to upset the best team in the conference, who had not lost since Mar. 25 and rode eight game win streak coming into the game. Another added motivation for Rio were the families in attendance, as the softball team celebrated their season and gave special recognition to their second year players. Starting pitcher Brenae Martinez, outfielder Paige Aguilar and infielder Alyssa Borja were honored by their team for their dedication and hard work in the last two years and the team looked to feed off of the crowds’ energy for a win. Things got to a rough start for the Lady Roadrunners however, as Martinez allowed five runs on eight hits, leading to a 5-0 deficit to begin the game and a hole Rio Hondo would have to climb out of. In the bottom of the first, Serina Castrellon got her team back into the game with a RBI single that brought home Loren Pichardo for their first run of the
game. As Mt. SAC rode their success into the second inning by tacking on another two runs, Rio only managed two of their own in three innings. Errors by the Mt. SAC outfielders led to Castrellon scoring an unearned run facing a 7-2 deficit by the fourth inning. With two outs in the fourth inning, Desiree Rhodes started the Rio Hondo rally after Alicia Olivas had an RBI single and Castrellon delivered a RBI double to bring in Olivas and Sarah Hauffen-Salgado to make it a 13-5 game with some optimism left for Rio. Mt. SAC showed why they were the best team this season, adding another nine runs in the fourth and fifth inning while Rio could only respond with three of their own. Rio could not make a dent anymore, finishing the game in five innings with the final score of 16-5. The Lady Roadrunners with the loss, now fall to 1026 on the season and go to 3-8 in conference play. Martinez finishes the game with a loss, allowing 16 runs on 18 hits and 13 errors. Rio Hondo will now finish their season on the road, facing three teams in a four day span. While the next two games are non-conference games against Moorpark College April 21 and Orange Coast College April 22, their final conference game will be against East Los Angeles College April 25.
Rio Hondo will host Chaffey College April 25 CARLOS DIEGO SANCHEZ Reporter carlos.sanchez5477@my.riohondo.edu
The conclusion of the two game series involving the Rio Hondo Roadrunners and the El Camino Warriors ending with a walk-off victory by Rio Hondo. Not only was it a nail-biting win but the Roadrunners showed their fearlessness to take down the undefeated Warriors not just once but twice. The game resulted in a 6-5 victory created a two game winning streak for the roadrunners. In the bottom of the ninth inning Alex Rodriguez hit a triple to score Nick Ybarra. Although the run was unearned, Rio needed any possible way to stay alive in their last at bats. While Rodriguez was at third base, Tony Rosario hit a hard groundball that was muffled by shortstop for El Camino, Darian Sylvester. This resulted in Rodriguez scoring from third base to achieve the walk off victory for the roadrunners. Before El Camino faced Rio Hondo, they were undefeated in conference play with a perfect 17-0 record. Rio Hondo stepped up to the power house team and showed their scrappiness to pull of yet another victory. What really made this victory special was that the Roadrunners came from behind to win without their head coach Mike Salazar. In the meantime Mike Guz-
man took over the third base coaching responsibilities and successfully pulled off a victory for his team. Before Rio Hondo walked-off in the ninth inning, the top half of the inning wasn’t as cheerful.
on the mound by hard throwing right hander, Edmundo Fernandez. Fernandez was able to get the last out of the inning and give a chance for the team to come back. Rio Hondo didn’t just
NOAH GARCIA / CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF
April 20- Nick Ybarra of Rio Hondo College smashes the ball against El Camino, as the Roadrunners beat the Warriors after 9 innings.
Mr. Consistent relief pitcher Anthony Franco was pitching well in a 3-3 tie before Trevor Casanova stepped up to the plate. With Cody Wissler on second base, Casanova took a fastball deep to left center field to take the air out of the jungle. After the next batter singled up the middle, Franco was replaced
make a comeback, the fought back to take down the best team in the conference. Next game for Rio will be a home game against Chaffey College on Tuesday April 25. Rio Hondo is now 18-15 overall and 10-9 in league. Rio Hondo advances in the South Coast Conference-South to the second seed behind Pasadena.
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
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SPORTS
National baseball reporter for the Los Angeles Times speaks at Wray Theater for Writes of Spring VICTOR LOZANO Reporter
victor.lozano2166@my.riohondo.edu
The Wray Theater at Rio Hondo College held its annual two-day event, Writes of Spring festival, that celebrated writers and writing April 19 and 20 and was host to an Los Angeles Times national reporter on the second day of the event. The original sports speaker was Dylan Hernandez, a L.A Dodgers beat writer, who could not attend because of a commitment he had of covering the Los Angeles Clippers during their playoff run against the Utah Jazz. Hernandez instead chose Bill Shaikin, a UC Berkeley grad as his own replacement, who has worked at the L.A Times since 1997 as a national baseball reporter. Shaikin has covered baseball for Southern California newspapers since 1989 and was the beat writer for the L.A Dodgers in 2011 and L.A Angels in 2002.
As Shaikin talked about his beginnings, he said “you don’t know what’s gonna happen even when you think” on his career path. He
gave examples of wanting to play for the Dodgers when he was younger, his dreams on becoming a broadcaster, being a DJ on his school’s ra-
dio station, and working in a law firm out of college before landing at a newspaper. A newspaper in Walnut Creek in Northern California called the Contra Costa Times that covered High School sports needed someone in the office to take down final scores from head coaches. This initial job led to plenty of newspaper job opportunities from one to another. Shaikin did not get a journalism degree while in college and said it is optional to get one, but is not necessary to get one to write for a newspaper. Rather, he said that experience is the key in trying to get a job at a newspaper like writing for a school newspaper or starting your own blog. Shaikin used Bill Simmons, CEO of The Ringer, as a reference of starting small by writing blogs on his personal website and eventually CRYSTIAN MENDOZA / SPORTS EDITOR growing into a big and popApril 20- Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times national baseball ular writer with ESPN forreporter, spoke at the Wray Theater for this years Writes of merly sponsoring his famous Spring: a celebration of writers and writing.
website, Grantland. While people may ask what he did learn in college, Shaikin mention that he did learn how to utilize time in college, giving the example of final exams in for deadline on newspapers. His major point was in order to become a better writer, you must always practice writing and practice writing in a certain time frame for deadlines. Another topic that he came across was that the profession of being a newspaper writer is hard now with the decline of jobs available. It mainly comes from losing out on advertisement revenue on print newspaper, as ads are worth five cents online while print versions are worth nearly a dollar. Shaikin gave the example of looking at movie releases, house hunting and car shopping that were previously in the newspaper that are now easily accessible online. That in effect cuts out sections in newspapers is digital friendly because of it.
El Clasico: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona La Liga intensifies as Barca keep title hopes alive thanks to Lionel Messi CRYSTIAN MENDOZA Sports Editor
crystian.mendoza8414@my.riohondo.edu
One of the biggest rivalries in soccer took place April 23, where current league leaders Real Madrid hosted Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu as Los Blancos looked to retain their position at the top of the table. With Barcelona only three points shy of Real Madrid, a win could bring the Catalans back into a fight for La Liga as the season quickly approaches its close, although Madrid still has a game on hand that can prove to be the decider. Some 81,044 fans were in attendance as referee Alejandro Hernandez got Round 33 of the Primera Division underway at the Spanish capital. Quite possibly the most important game of the La Liga season in terms of defining the title race, both sides looked to get the win. Tensions flared early in the game when Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid was brought down in the box in the third minute after beating Samuel Umititi to a Dani Carvajal cross before dropping to the ground. What looked like a clear penalty kick ultimately was not given by Hernandez who simply waved “play on.” Real Madrid dominat-
ed in the early stages of the game as Karim Benzema set up Ronaldo down the righthand side as the Portuguese international drove up the field at an alarming pace. Ronaldo cut inside Barcelona defender Gerard Pique before trying his luck with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box that was picked up fairly easily by goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Madrid’s dominance in the early stages unsettled Barcelona, with their front three being fluid throughout the opening minutes of the game as they continued to test the visiting defenders. In the eleventh minute Lionel Messi of Barcelona managed to move the ball out wide down the left-hand side, allowing Jordi Alba to move into space before setting up Luis Suarez whose rushed shot flashed far beyond the post. A reckless challenge from behind against Messi from Casemiro of Real Madrid saw Hernandez pull out the first card of the game, with the Brazilian being cautioned with a yellow card he will now have to be a little more careful with his tackles. With twenty-five minutes having passed, both goalkeepers appeared to be keeping the match scoreless as they continued to rack up
saves. Finally, in the twenty-eighth minute Casemiro opened the scoreboard for Real Madrid after Marcelo picked up a half-clearance leaving him with space before crossing it over to Sergio Ramos who guided the ball off the goal post. The loose rebound landed at the feet of Casemiro who anticipated the play and simply slid to tuck away the opener. Only five minutes later, Barcelona’s Messi would equalize the game after darting past Carvajal in the penalty area with ease before putting away his left-footed shot past a defenseless Kaylor Navas thanks to a lovely pass from Ivan Rakitic. Minute thirty-nine saw Gareth Bale of Real Madrid subbed off as he limped down the tunnel, having struggled with form lately due to injury allowing Marco Asensio to replace the Welshman. The score remained 1-1 going into halftime as Barcelona’s hopes of a La Liga title remained alive thanks to Messi’s goal. Real Madrid was quick to drive at goal as the second-half resumed, as substitute Asensio burst down the right wing before feeding Carvajal who bended a good cross into the box which Pique was forced to slide at in order to avoid danger.
After coming out strong in the early stages of the second-half, Barcelona calmed the game down with a spell of possession as they tried to control Madrid’s intensity. Asensio sprints down the right-wing at the edge of the penalty box before setting up Ronaldo for a simple finish, but the strikers sliding effort was off target, flying well over the crossbar as a clear opportunity to take the lead was wasted. Ronaldo’s miss can come back to haunt Real Madrid as often is the case in soccer when you don’t put away your chances. With only five minutes passing since Ronaldo’s failed attempt, a rattling left-footed cracker from Rakitic outside of the 18-yard box saw Navas beaten as the defenseless goalkeeper stretched wide but never really had a chance of stopping the Croatian’s well placed shot. Netting the goal in the seventy-third minute, Madrid had about fifteen minutes to get back into the game if they wanted to remain at the top of the table. A hot headed Ramos was ejected in the seventy-seventh minute after diving in at Messi with two feet for a sloppy tackle that would warrant a red card from any match official. Now, a goal as well as a
man behind, Real Madrid would need a miracle if they were to have a chance of at least tying the game and salvaging a point. James Rodriguez was subbed on for Benzema in the eighty-second minute, and only three minutes later the Colombian made it a 2-2 game for Madrid after being picked out by Marcelo’s low cross towards the first post before thundering a close ranged shot towards Ter Stegen. With the game now at 2-2, it seemed that Real Madrid had all but salvaged their title hopes as it stands, leaving them with 76 points and Barcelona with 73 if the score remained. With only two minutes of regulation time added on, the impossible happened as Messi netted his 500th career goal for Barcelona after Alba’s cross was guided home brilliantly by the Argentine. Quite possibly the best El Clasico in a long time, Barcelona managed to keep their title hopes alive as they now equalize Real Madrid’s 75 points and pass them up on the table due to goal difference. With Real Madrid still having a game on hand, the last five matches of the season could prove to be decisive for either side.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
El Paisano Tuesday, April 25, 2017
* = City of Whittier Events
EVENTS
LOCATION
TIME
Tuesday, April 25 What can I do with a major in Business? Workshop .....@ Student Services 350......................... @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Baseball RHC vs. Chaffey...............................................@ RHC (home)...................................... @ 2:20 pm Softball RHC vs. East Los Angeles.................................@ East Los Angeles............................... @ 5:00 pm Let’s Read Together with Dogs......................................@ Whittwood Branch Library................ @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Candy’s Crafternoons....................................................@ Central Library.................................. @ 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm City Council Meeting.....................................................@ Whittier Cuty Hall............................. @ 6:30 pm
Wednesday, April 26 Little Listeners..............................................................@ Central Library.................................. @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am Baby Storytime..............................................................@ Whittwood Branch Library................ @ 10:30 am - 11:15 am Under the Orange Tree..................................................@ Whittwood Library............................ @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Arts in Public Places Advisory Committee....................@ Whittier Senior Center...................... @ 4:30 pm Wine Wednesday: The Art of Wine Tasting...................@ Whittwood Branch Library................ @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Historic Resources Commission Special Meeting..........@ Council Chamber in City Hall........... @ 7:00 pm
Thursday, April 27 What can I do with a major in Social Sciences?.............@ Student Services 350......................... @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Museum, Spring Mainstage Play ...................................@ Wray Theater.................................... @ 8:00 pm Baseball RHC vs. Chaffey...............................................@ Chaffey.............................................. @ 2:30 pm Preschool Storytime......................................................@ Whittwood Branch Library................ @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am After School Adventures................................................@ Whittwood Branch Library................ @ 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Brain Games Club..........................................................@ Central Library.................................. @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Five Course Dinner: Cooking with Wine.......................@ Whittwood Branch Library................ @ 6:30 pm
Friday, April 28 5th annual A Taste of Rio .............................................@ Rio Hondo College............................ @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Baseball Chaffey vs. RHC...............................................@ RHC (home)...................................... @ 2:30 pm Women’s Beach Volleyball RHC vs. TBA........................@ Long Beach Pacific Coast.................. @ TBA Mighty Mickey’s Magic Circus.......................................@ Whittwood Branch Library................ @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Saturday, April 29 PSCFA Cool-Off Tournament.........................................@ Rio Hondo College............................ @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Women’s Beach Volleyball RHC vs. TBA........................@ Long Beach Pacific Coast.................. @ TBA Women’s Tennis RHC vs. TBA.......................................@ Ojai Tennis Club............................... @ TBA
Monday, May 1 FLEX Reporting Deadline .............................................@ Online............................................... @ All Day Rock your Resume Workshop .......................................@ Student Services 350......................... @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am Planning Commission Meeting.....................................@ Council Chamber in City Hall........... @ 7:00 pm